The Global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative validation team has arrived in Nigeria to assess the country’s progress in improving transparency and accountability in the oil, gas and mining sectors.

The validation mission, which begins on Monday (tomorrow), is part of the 2026 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Validation Exercise that commenced on July 1.

The exercise is particularly significant for Nigeria, as it provides an opportunity for the country to demonstrate how far it has implemented the corrective actions identified during its previous assessment and strengthened the governance of its natural resources.

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Communications and Stakeholders Management, Obiageli Onuorah, said the arrival of the global assessors marked a major stage in the ongoing validation process.

The mission is expected to run from August 10 to August 14, during which the assessors will conduct a comprehensive quality assurance assessment and consult a wide range of stakeholders involved in Nigeria’s extractive industries.

The statement read, “The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative announces the arrival of the Global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Validation Assessors as part of the ongoing 2026 EITI Validation Exercise which commenced on July 1st 2026. The presence of the EITI Mission in Nigeria marks a significant stage in Nigeria’s 2026 EITI Validation and forms part of the global EITI Validation process.

“During the mission, which commences August 10th 2026, the Validation Assessors will undertake a comprehensive quality assurance assessment and hold consultations with key stakeholders”

The stakeholders include government institutions, the National Assembly, oil, gas and mining companies, civil society organisations, development partners, anti-corruption agencies, host communities and the media.

The assessors will also meet senior government officials and key institutions involved in the management and oversight of Nigeria’s extractive resources.

Among those expected to meet the mission are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the NEITI Board, Senator George Akume; members of the NEITI National Stakeholders Working Group; the Ministers of Finance and Budget and Economic Planning; the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited; NEITI’s Inter-Ministerial Task Team; members of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts and other relevant committees of the National Assembly, as well as the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

The consultations are expected to give the assessors an opportunity to hear directly from stakeholders about the country’s implementation of the EITI Standard, ongoing reforms and outstanding challenges in the extractive sector.

Commenting, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Musa Adar, described the exercise as an important opportunity for Nigeria to demonstrate its commitment to responsible management of its oil, gas and mining resources.

“Nigeria remains firmly committed to the principles of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. We regard the Validation process as an opportunity not only to assess the progress we have made, but also to highlight areas where further reforms can enhance extractive sector governance,” Sarkin Adar said.

The NEITI boss said the agency had worked with the National Stakeholders Working Group and other stakeholders to prepare for the assessment.

According to him, the preparations included the submission of Nigeria’s validation documentation and targeted engagements with stakeholders in line with the requirements of the 2023 EITI Standard.

He expressed confidence that the mission would strengthen Nigeria’s relationship with the global EITI and reinforce its commitment to transparency, accountability and prudent management of its natural resources.

Validation is the EITI’s independent quality assurance mechanism for determining how well implementing countries comply with the EITI Standard.

The process examines the extent to which countries have improved transparency and accountability in the management of extractive resources while also identifying areas requiring further reforms.

For Nigeria, the latest exercise comes against the backdrop of its previous validation, which produced a moderate score but also identified areas requiring corrective action.

Nigeria underwent its fourth EITI validation in January 2023 under the 2019 EITI Standard and obtained an overall score of 72 points.

The assessment identified a number of corrective actions that Nigeria was expected to address before its next validation.

The 2026 exercise will therefore provide an independent assessment of whether the country has made measurable progress since the last validation and whether reforms have been institutionalised across the extractive sector.

The assessment covers issues central to the management of Nigeria’s vast oil, gas and mining resources, including transparency, public oversight and accountability.

The latest validation is also taking place as Nigeria seeks to deepen reforms in its extractive industries and attract more investment into the upstream oil and gas and mining sectors.

The country has long faced concerns over revenue leakages, opaque ownership structures, crude oil theft, weak public oversight and limited transparency around the management of natural resources.

The EITI process is designed to help address some of these challenges by promoting disclosure and encouraging collaboration among government, extractive companies and civil society.

Nigeria joined the EITI as an implementing country in 2004 and subsequently enacted the NEITI Act in 2007, establishing a statutory framework for promoting transparency in the management of the country’s extractive industries.

Since then, NEITI has conducted industry audits, published reports and made recommendations aimed at improving revenue collection, reducing leakages and strengthening accountability in the oil, gas and mining sectors.

The 2026 validation therefore comes at a critical point for the country as it seeks to demonstrate that previous recommendations have translated into concrete institutional reforms rather than remaining largely on paper.

NEITI said the exercise would also allow stakeholders to present their perspectives on the reforms and challenges affecting the extractive sector.

“The 2026 EITI Validation is an opportunity to demonstrate the progress Nigeria has made in strengthening extractive sector governance, addressing previous corrective actions and institutionalising reforms that promote transparency and accountability,” the agency stated.

The outcome of the exercise will provide an external assessment of Nigeria’s implementation of the EITI Standard and could influence the direction of further reforms in the sector.

The validation mission is expected to conclude on August 14.