The newly appointed Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Musa Adar, on Tuesday officially assumed office at the NEITI House, pledging to push for an amendment of the Act setting up the organisation.
Adar, who was last week redeployed from his position as Chairman, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to head NEITI, in his maiden address to management and staff, pledged to leverage his extensive legislative and oversight experience to strengthen NEITI’s visibility, institutional relevance, and impact.
He emphasised that NEITI’s mandate must be better understood across the country, noting that the organisation has built a reputation as a beacon of openness in Nigeria’s extractive industries.
Adar highlighted that NEITI’s reports have shaped policies, influenced reforms, and strengthened public trust, but stressed that the journey ahead demands greater effort, particularly with Nigeria’s upcoming validation as a member of the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) scheduled for July 2026.
The new executive secretary noted that a key priority for him is the amendment of the NEITI Act 2007, explaining that the current Act does not provide NEITI with the institutional authority and capacity required to function optimally.
He stressed that a review of the Act is essential to empower NEITI with stronger legal tools to enforce compliance, deepen reforms, and drive transparency and accountability across the extractive sector.
Adar recalled his long-standing engagement with NEITI during his 16 years in the National Assembly, including his role as Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Upstream, which oversaw NEITI.
He affirmed his commitment to ensuring that NEITI continues to publish accurate, credible, and accessible reports, while strengthening mechanisms to prevent extractive revenues from being lost to inefficiency or corruption.
Besides, Adar pledged to develop clear strategies that will support the government to optimise Nigeria’s vast mineral endowments through beneficiation processes, thereby ensuring greater value addition and sustainable economic growth.
He further pledged to invest in staff capacity and foster stronger collaboration with government, civil society, the media, industry stakeholders, the global EITI, and development partners.
“NEITI staff are the heart of this great agency. I will invest in your growth, provide the tools you need, and create the enabling environment where excellence thrives,” Adar affirmed.
Welcoming the new executive secretary on behalf of management and staff, Dr. Dieter Bassi, Director of Policy, Planning and Strategy, expressed management’s confidence in the leadership of Adar.
“We look forward to your insights, innovative strategies, and the positive impact you will bring to the NEITI family. Your wealth of experience and visionary approach align perfectly with NEITI’s mission and values,” Bassi stated.
Until his appointment, Adar served as Chairman of the Board of NIWA. He is a politician and public servant who is said to have played a key role in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and sponsored several motions and bills focused on education, security and infrastructure development.
Emmanuel Addeh
About the Author
