The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) have agreed to strengthen their collaboration to improve transparency, accountability and performance in Nigeria’s extractive industries.
The resolution was reached on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, when the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mr. Musa Sarkin Adar, led his management team on a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, at the Commission’s corporate headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, Mr. Olukoyede described the extractive sector as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy and urged Mr. Adar to see his appointment as an opportunity to reinforce transparency and accountability in a sector that continues to sustain the nation’s economy.
He noted that the EFCC and NEITI had a longstanding working relationship, which had been further strengthened since his assumption of office. According to him, NEITI reports serve as critical inputs for EFCC investigations, leading to recoveries over the years.
“Your reports are like raw materials for us. Over the years, we have worked with them and made recoveries. I can assure you that under your leadership, our collaboration will be sustained and strengthened beyond what it was in the past,” he said.
Mr. Olukoyede also disclosed that the renewed partnership could lead to a review and improvement of the existing Memorandum of Understanding between both agencies. He assured NEITI of the EFCC’s support in enforcing accountability within the limits of the law.
In his remarks, Mr. Adar, who was appointed in November 2025, said the visit was part of his strategy to engage critical stakeholders in line with NEITI’s mandate and to deepen the existing collaboration with the EFCC.
He explained that his priority was to work closely with institutions whose statutory responsibilities align with NEITI’s role in promoting transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s extractive sector. He commended both agencies for their past cooperation and expressed commitment to identifying practical ways of strengthening the partnership.
Mr. Adar added that the meeting provided an opportunity to reaffirm the strong institutional relationship between NEITI and the EFCC under the existing Memorandum of Understanding and to renew their shared commitment to addressing systemic weaknesses undermining effective governance of the extractive sector, especially as Nigeria prepares to host the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the global partner body.
