The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative has strengthened its partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to tackle corruption in Nigeria’s oil, gas and mining sectors.
The renewed collaboration was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by NEITI’s Director of Communications and Stakeholder Management, Mrs Obiageli Onuorah, after separate courtesy visits to the headquarters of the two anti-graft agencies.
“The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to accountability in Nigeria’s oil, gas, and mining sectors by strengthening its partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission,” the statement said.
During the visits, NEITI’s Executive Secretary, Musa Sarkin Adar, stressed the need for closer cooperation among the agencies to ensure that transparency reports lead to real enforcement, recovery of funds and correction of weaknesses in the extractive sector.
Adar said his leadership has focused on working with institutions whose mandates align with NEITI’s goal of openness and accountability, describing EFCC and ICPC as key partners in turning audit findings into action.
“This partnership is not just about disclosure. It is about accountability, corrective actions, and measurable impact. As Nigeria prepares for the 2026 EITI Validation, our collective responsibility is to demonstrate that transparency leads to real change,” he said.
He explained that Nigeria’s 2026 validation under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative would assess compliance with the 2023 EITI Standard, covering transparency, stakeholder engagement, and outcomes and impact.
According to him, the process goes beyond NEITI and reflects Nigeria’s overall commitment to openness in managing natural resources.
Adar called for stronger implementation of existing Memoranda of Understanding with EFCC and ICPC, urging deeper intelligence sharing, technical cooperation and joint follow-up on cases linked to NEITI audit reports.
Responding, the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, described NEITI’s reports as vital tools for investigations in the extractive sector.
“NEITI’s audit reports are indispensable raw materials for our investigations,” Olukoyede said.
He disclosed that the EFCC had set up a dedicated Extractive Industry and Fraud Section and promised to review and strengthen its agreement with NEITI to improve results.
On his part, the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN), praised NEITI for its role in exposing corruption risks in the extractive industries.
“By combining NEITI’s forensic data with ICPC’s investigative and prosecutorial powers, we have moved beyond reporting infractions to rectifying them,” Aliyu said.
He added that the ICPC had created a Special Extractive Industry Desk to act on NEITI’s findings and assured continued support for the partnership.
Nigeria’s oil and gas sector remains a major source of government revenue and foreign exchange but has long faced issues of revenue leakages and weak enforcement.
NEITI, as Nigeria’s implementing body of the global EITI framework, regularly publishes audit reports on the sector. The strengthened alliance with EFCC and ICPC is expected to help close the gap between reporting and enforcement ahead of the 2026 EITI Validation.
