The Embassy of Belgium and the Australian and Canadian High Commissions in Nigeria have pledged to support the Open Data Policy of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, 

The Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt and his Canadian and Australian counterparts, Jamie Christoff and Ms Leilani Bin-Juda, made the pledge on Wednesday shortly after inspecting the newly completed multimillion Naira NEITI Data Centre. 

The diplomatic delegation was conducted round the NEITI Data Centre in Abuja by the Executive Secretary, NEITI, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji.

The data centre is a one-stop shop for information and data collection on Nigeria’s extractive sector consisting of oil, gas and solid minerals.

The centre will also serve as a reservoir for information and data published in the various NEITI Annual Industry Reports since the first edition in 2004.

The diplomats described the Data Centre project as an important milestone in the corruption fight in the extractive industry.

They pledged to support the NEITI Data Centre with skills development, training and technical assistance.

Mr Orji said the visit of the Ambassador and the High Commissioners to NEITI House was an opportunity to deepen cooperation and partnership between NEITI and the diplomatic community in Nigeria.

He said, “It will serve as a warehouse for all extractive industry data in aggregated and disaggregated formats for easy public access by civil society organisations, the media, extractive industry companies, government agencies and the legislature.

“It will also provide data information analysis, training and manpower development in data science education deployment and utilisation required to sustain a robust public knowledge and understanding of Nigeria’s extractive industry. The conception of the centre aligns with Nigeria’s commitments to fully comply with the Open Data policy requirements under the EITI 2023 Standards. It will provide backbone support for NEITI/EITI Systematic Disclosure programme, which is fast becoming the future of EITI Industry globally.’’

Mr Orji informed the diplomats that the global transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources posed significant risks to countries that depend heavily on hydrocarbon-based natural resource-revenues for survival.

According to him, Nigeria is heavily dependent on oil revenues for survival hence their visit is an opportunity to highlight the importance of partnership and cooperation between underdeveloped, developing and developed countries.

He said such collaboration and partnership were found within the EITI community to enhance knowledge sharing, skills and technical support to tackle challenges in the extractive sector.

He explained that NEITI’s decision to build a Data Centre was to enable the agency to support the reforms in the extractive industries with evidence-based decisions.

A representative of CSOs on NEITI Board, Dr Erisa Sarki, identified the importance of sustainable advocacy to draw local and international attention to gender and environment issues arising from oil, gas and mining exploration activities. 

(NAN)