In a significant endorsement of the current administration’s efforts in the extractive sector, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, for effectively utilizing oil and mining revenues to drive infrastructure development and economic transformation.
The commendation came during an official inspection visit by NEITI’s Executive Secretary and National Coordinator, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, alongside other board members of the initiative. The delegation visited various infrastructural projects in Aba, particularly the reconstructed Port Harcourt Road, a key commercial artery that has long suffered neglect until its recent facelift under Governor Otti’s leadership.
Speaking to journalists during the visit, Dr. Orji emphasized the importance of judicious utilization of revenues from Nigeria’s oil, gas, and mining sectors. He described the Abia State example as a model for other sub-national governments on how extractive sector revenues can be channeled into tangible public benefits.
“When you get money from oil, gas, and mining, what do you use it for? How do you deploy it to connect with the people?” Orji asked rhetorically. “I have seen that the revenues from oil, gas, and mining are working in Abia State at the moment. There is a strong linkage between what Abia is getting from the national treasury and the visible efforts to provide solid social infrastructure for the people.”
NEITI, an agency established to promote transparency and accountability in the management of Nigeria’s natural resources, said its visit to Abia underscores the growing importance of resource governance at the subnational level. Abia is classified as an oil-producing state and is entitled to derivation funds and other federal allocations tied to natural resource exploitation.
Also speaking during the inspection tour, NEITI Alternate Chairman and board representative for North Central Nigeria, Ambassador Sunday Adoli, praised both Governor Otti and President Tinubu for their dedication to national development.
“President Tinubu is doing a very good job for the country. He thinks Nigeria, works Nigeria. He deserves all the support,” Adoli stated. “We are equally impressed that Governor Otti appreciates the President’s vision, and that is the kind of collaboration that should exist between state and federal leaders.”
The positive appraisal comes at a time when the Tinubu administration continues to promote fiscal transparency, infrastructure development, and economic diversification. President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has identified the oil and solid minerals sectors as critical to unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential and attracting foreign investment.
In Abia State, Governor Otti has prioritized rebuilding long-neglected infrastructure, supporting SMEs, and boosting internally generated revenue. The reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road, Aba—an industrial and commercial hub—is seen as a symbol of the governor’s commitment to economic revitalization.
Industry stakeholders and development experts have urged other state governments to follow Abia’s example by ensuring that funds from the extractive industries are directed toward projects that improve the living conditions of citizens. With over 70% of Nigerians living in poverty according to recent statistics, transparent and impactful resource management is increasingly viewed as a pathway to inclusive development.
NEITI’s public endorsement of both federal and state-level efforts signals a shift toward accountability and development-oriented governance in Nigeria’s extractive sector—an industry long plagued by corruption, mismanagement, and opacity.