NEITI: We Never Disowned Our  2021 Oil, Gas Industry Reports

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has said that reports credited to the National Coordinator of the Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Nigeria insinuating that it denied the contents of its recently released 2021 oil and gas industry report, were untrue.

Describing the insinuation as shocking, unfounded, incorrect, false and misleading, the initiative stated that for the avoidance of doubt, NEITI solidly stands by the crucial facts, information and data publicly disclosed in all its industry reports.

 “NEITI wishes to use this opportunity to emphasise that its reports are empirical, covered entities driven, with multi stakeholders’ participation and ownership,” it said.

NEITI restated that it was always available to enlighten and offer clarifications on issues contained in any of its reports when called upon to do so, saying it was what it did when the agency clarified its position on the process that characterised the 2020/2021 marginal oil fields bids.

In a statement in Abuja, it stressed that under the NEITI independent processes, it is the agency’s industry report for the 2022-2023 that will comprehensively review and report on how the exercise was conducted and possibly concluded by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). 

NEITI further stated that except and until the 2022/23 industry report is conducted and published, the agency is in no position to hold neither the NUPRC nor any other institution, individuals or group accountable.