The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has recovered $2.5 billion industrial tax for the federal government, its Executive Secretary, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, has said.
She called on state governments across the federation to cooperate with the Agency to ensure that mineral resources extracted were harnessed for development.
Hajiya Zainab told journalists at the ongoing 35th Kaduna International Trade Fair that it had become necessary to diversify the country’s economy by focusing on solid mineral resources and agriculture “in order to halt the current over dependence and dominance of the oil and gas sector of the economy.”
The executive secretary also urged other stakeholders in the sector, especially investors, to take advantage of NEITI process, as well as the ongoing reforms in the sector.
“NEITI has assisted the federal government to recover $2.5 billion through industrial taxation,” she said.
Kaduna state Deputy Governor, Ambassador Nuhu Audu Bajoga, reiterated the readiness of the state government to partner organisations with positive initiatives in order to take the state to greater height.
He said: “Kaduna state government is open and ready to work with NEITI in areas of mutual interest. The trade fair provides a platform to showcase NEITI work in Nigerian extractive industries, as well as opportunities to network and explore possible areas of collaboration with governments, investors, companies and other stakeholders in the industries as well as civil society and the public.”
He called on federal government to continue to support NEITI with the necessary facilities to enable the agency meet its objective of reaching out to Nigerians through effective mining, accountability and auditing.
