NEITI seeks CSO, Media support ahead of 2026 EITI validation

By Onu Okorie

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative NEITI has called for stronger collaboration with civil society organisations CSOs and the media as the country prepares for the 2026 Validation exercise of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative EITI, scheduled to commence on July 1, 2026.

Speaking during an engagement with civil society groups and media representatives in Abuja, NEITI Executive Secretary, Mr. Musa Seriki Adam, urged stakeholders to play active roles in tracking the implementation of audit recommendations, monitoring institutional disclosures, and sustaining public interest in beneficial ownership transparency and revenue accountability.

Adam stressed the importance of stakeholder contributions to the validation process, particularly in providing inputs into validation templates and documentation relating to civil society and media participation.

He charged participants to take ownership of Nigeria’s validation process and documentation, emphasizing the need to project a positive image of the country before EITI assessors.

“Nigeria is ready for the 2026 EITI Validation which is set to commence on July 1, 2026,” Adam said, adding that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to the implementation of EITI principles in the country.

According to him, NEITI has intensified consultations with key agencies in the extractive sector as part of preparations for the exercise. He disclosed that bilateral meetings had already been held with institutions including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority NMDPRA, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited NNPC Ltd., the Nigeria Revenue Service NRS, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission NUPRC, and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund PTDF.

The Executive Secretary explained that NEITI was undertaking targeted stakeholder engagements to improve understanding of the revised validation model, templates, requirements and outstanding corrective actions.

He noted that the engagement with civil society and the media held on June 24 forms part of a broader consultation programme that will also include meetings with extractive companies on June 29 and the Inter-Ministerial Task Team on July 16.

Adam further revealed that NEITI had held preparatory meetings with the EITI International Secretariat and Nigerian validators to review timelines and assess the country’s readiness for the exercise.

He added that the National Stakeholders Working Group NSWG, NEITI’s governing board, would meet later this week to review and approve completed validation templates.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the NEITI National Stakeholders Working Group and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, represented by Mr. Steve Akpan, acknowledged the limited time available before the validation exercise and called for increased cooperation among stakeholders.

Akume urged civil society organisations and media practitioners to actively support the process, stressing that Nigeria’s success would depend on collective efforts across all stakeholder groups.

In her remarks, Mrs. Obiageli Onuorah, NEITI’s Director of Communications and Stakeholder Management, described the 2026 validation as a critical assessment of Nigeria’s commitment to transparency, accountability and anti-corruption reforms in the extractive sector.

She explained that the revised EITI validation framework places greater emphasis on data disclosure, public participation and subnational accountability, making stakeholder engagement indispensable to a successful outcome.

Onuorah called on civil society groups and media organisations to help close documentation gaps and support efforts aimed at presenting a strong national case during the validation process.

EITI validators are expected to arrive in Nigeria in August for a two-week assessment as the country seeks to improve its compliance score and strengthen investor and public confidence in the governance of its oil, gas and mining resources.