As part of our sustained commitment to promoting accountability and environmental justice in Nigeria’s extractive sector, a delegation from Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, at the NEITI House in Abuja.
Welcoming the HEDA team, Dr. Orji emphasized NEITI’s core mandate of fostering transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s extractive industries, stressing that active collaboration with accountability actors like HEDA is crucial to the success and credibility of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) process in Nigeria.
“We see HEDA as a major stakeholder and one of the leading civil society organizations supporting NEITI’s vision of reforming the extractive sector,” Dr. Orji remarked. He commended HEDA’s consistent investigative efforts, especially in critical areas such as marginal field awards, beneficial ownership disclosures, and host community impacts.
Of particular note was HEDA’s recent publication: “Marginal Fields’ Awards, Regulators’ Independence, and Environmental Justice: Paradox of Beneficial Ownership and the Host Communities.” Dr. Orji applauded the report, describing it as timely and aligned with NEITI’s mission. He acknowledged the report’s findings on corruption risks associated with the 2020/2021 marginal field awards and the ongoing concerns around transparency in beneficial ownership—issues NEITI is currently addressing.
“Your work provides valuable insights and data that reinforce our advocacy and reform efforts,” Dr. Orji stated. “We look forward to deepening collaboration with HEDA to meet the expectations of the EITI process in Nigeria.”
Responding, HEDA Chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, described NEITI as more than a partner, calling it a strategic institution capable of transforming Nigeria’s extractive governance landscape. He reiterated HEDA’s unwavering support for NEITI’s mandate and commended the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for integrating NEITI into its monitoring framework.
Mr. Suraju noted that Nigeria’s extractive sector challenges go beyond poverty—they are rooted in systemic corruption, conflict, and the failure to enforce regulatory frameworks. He affirmed HEDA’s commitment to continue playing a watchdog role while working closely with institutions like NEITI to uphold transparency, integrity, and environmental justice.
This visit marks another milestone in HEDA’s efforts to forge strong institutional partnerships aimed at reforming Nigeria’s extractive industry and ensuring that natural resources truly benefit the people.
