‘Your Service As NEITI Boss Reform-Focused’—Presidency Hails Orji

…Approves February 16 Exit In Line With Public Service Rules

The Federal Government has paid exceptional tribute to the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, describing his service as one of the most reform-driven and institution-strengthening tenures in the history of Nigeria’s transparency movement.

The Presidency said Orji’s leadership not only deepened accountability in the extractive industries but also elevated Nigeria’s standing on the global stage as a committed and credible champion of openness in natural resource governance.

This commendation followed the government’s approval of his request to proceed on statutory terminal leave, ahead of the completion of his landmark single five-year tenure, which formally ends on February 19, 2026.

His approved exit date, in line with the Public Service Rules, is February 16, 2026.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the NEITI National Stakeholders’ Working Group (NSWG), Senator George Akume, confirmed that Orji had formally notified the government of his intent to conclude his tenure as required by law.

Akume noted that the Presidency responded with deep appreciation, acknowledging his extraordinary contributions to institutional growth and national development.

According to the SGF, Orji’s stewardship marked a “golden era of reforms” within NEITI, characterised by bold innovation, unwavering dedication to public-interest governance and a relentless pursuit of global best practices.

He described Orji’s tenure as one that consolidated Nigeria’s leadership and moral authority within the international Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) family a community of nations committed to resource transparency and accountability.

Akume stated that the outgoing NEITI helmsman transformed the institution from a compliance-oriented agency into a modern, technology-driven centre of data excellence and public accountability.

One of the most celebrated achievements under Orji’s leadership was the establishment of the NEITI Data Centre — a state-of-the-art facility that has dramatically improved the integrity, accessibility and analytical strength of extractive industry data in Nigeria.

The SGF described the centre as a “game-changing innovation” that now positions Nigeria among the few EITI-implementing countries with real-time, centralised, open-data capabilities that empower citizens, investors, policymakers and development partners.

Through this reform, Nigeria has earned international commendation for expanding public access to verifiable extractive-sector information a cornerstone of the EITI philosophy.

The Presidency noted that the Data Centre, along with other institutional enhancements, has strengthened Nigeria’s reputation as a transparent, reform-minded nation committed to responsible management of natural resources.

Beyond the Data Centre, Orji’s tenure delivered several other milestone achievements, including enhanced industry compliance, improved reconciliation processes, strengthened inter-agency collaboration, strategic national policy contributions, and the expansion of civil society participation in extractive-sector oversight.

His leadership ensured that NEITI audit reports became more timely, more rigorous, and more influential in shaping national discourse on economic reforms and revenue optimisation.

Acknowledging these accomplishments, the SGF reaffirmed the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to protecting NEITI’s independence, strengthening its statutory mandate, and sustaining ongoing reforms.

He underscored that transparency in the extractive industries remains a central pillar of President Bola Tinubu’s governance priorities and a critical pathway to boosting revenue, attracting investment, and building public trust.

Orji’s tenure has demonstrated the transformative power of strong, independent, and courageous leadership in advancing transparency. The government said it will continue to safeguard the institution so that the reforms he championed can flourish.

He praised his leadership as “visionary, reform-focused, and deeply patriotic,” noting that his legacy will endure as a reference point for accountability in Nigeria’s natural resource governance.

He concluded by extending the best wishes of the government to the outgoing Executive Secretary, describing his service as “meritorious, highly accomplished, and worthy of national celebration.”