- Vice President Kashim Shettima emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to an inclusive extractive industry, highlighting transparency and regional collaboration at SIREXE
- Shettima stated that strong institutions are essential for converting natural resources into prosperity, underscoring Nigeria’s leadership in transparency reforms
The Nigerian government has renewed its commitment to fostering an inclusive and transparent extractive industry, emphasizing regional collaboration and local capacity development.
Vice President Kashim Shettima reaffirmed this stance at the inaugural International Exhibition of Extractive and Energy Resources (SIREXE) held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The event, themed “Policies and Strategies for the Sustainable Development of the Extractive and Energy Industries,” convened African leaders to explore resource management and energy security solutions.
Shettima highlighted that strong institutions are essential for transforming natural resources into national prosperity. He underscored Nigeria’s pioneering role in transparency reforms, noting the establishment of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) in 2004.
“Nigeria became the first country globally to domesticate the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative because we recognized that opacity fuels inefficiency and corruption.
Transparency is non-negotiable for building trust and ensuring equitable benefits,” Shettima stated.
He further stressed the need for regional cooperation, asserting, “Africa’s energy future is interconnected. Progress in one country impacts others. Nigeria is ready to share its experiences and collaborate with ECOWAS partners to build a thriving extractive industry for all.”
Addressing challenges like vested interests and conflicts in resource-rich regions, Shettima added, “We cannot allow cartels and instability to derail our aspirations.
Nigeria invests in specialized security frameworks to safeguard mining sites and ensure sustainable growth.”
The summit marked an important step in advancing strategies to enhance transparency and sustainability across Africa’s extractive industries.