The newly appointed Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, expressed a commitment to drive a comprehensive amendment of the NEITI Act 2007.

He described the law as “outdated and inadequate for today’s governance and compliance demands.”

Addressing the management and staff at the agency’s Abuja headquarters, Adar, who resumed office yesterday, stated that the 17-year-old law no longer provides NEITI with sufficient institutional authority to enforce compliance or fully execute its mandate of deepening transparency and accountability across Nigeria’s extractive industries. He stressed that updating the legislation will be the centerpiece of his reform agenda.

According to Adar, strengthening the Act will equip NEITI with the modern legal tools needed to expand reforms, curb leakages, reinforce governance, and position the country for a successful Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative validation slated for July 2026. He said, “To strengthen transparency, enforce compliance, and secure better outcomes for the country, the legislation must be updated.”

Adar acknowledged that NEITI’s audits and reports have shaped national policy and strengthened public trust, but he insisted that the organisation must enhance its visibility, relevance, and enforcement capacity. Drawing from his 16 years of legislative experience and past work as Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Upstream, he pledged to ensure the continued publication of credible industry reports and stronger mechanisms to plug revenue leakages.

He also highlighted plans to promote beneficiation and value addition across Nigeria’s mineral resources to support long-term economic growth.