ABUJA— The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has called on civil society organisations (CSOs) to assume a central role in holding governments and companies accountable for their energy transition commitments.
Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, made the appeal in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC), Hon. Auwal Musa Rafsanjani.
Orji noted that the global shift to cleaner energy, coupled with mounting fiscal pressures, requires civil society to move beyond routine advocacy into evidence-based, solution-driven leadership.
“This new agenda calls for civil society to lead in energy transition accountability by developing scorecards that track government and company commitments, and by shaping community transition plans so that no one is left behind,” he said.
He further stressed the need for CSOs to analyse contract and ownership disclosures, engage in debates on resource mobilisation, and provide policy alternatives on subsidy reforms, debt sustainability, and equitable development.
According to him, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) process demands that civil society evolve from watchdogs to knowledge leaders and reform architects, especially in areas such as climate accountability, illicit financial flows, and fiscal justice.
Highlighting NEITI’s own efforts, Orji cited ongoing partnerships with the EFCC, ICPC, and NFIU, as well as plans to establish a Data Center that will provide real-time disclosures on revenues, contracts, host community funds, and energy transition.
He also challenged CISLAC to expand its knowledge production by moving from bulletins to peer-reviewed scholarly publications capable of strengthening research and positioning Nigerian civil society at the forefront of global extractive governance debates.
In his response, Rafsanjani commended NEITI for opening up Nigeria’s extractive industry to public scrutiny.
“NEITI remains one of the most strategic institutions driving transparency, accountability, and reform in Nigeria’s extractive sector. Over the years, your work has provided critical data, exposed gaps, and pushed for reforms that have saved the country billions and informed policy decisions,” he said.
