The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) says it will unveil a platform that automates data gathering component of its extractive industry audit process.
NEITI disclosed this in statement by Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, its Director, Communications and Advocacy, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
He said that the platform which will be unveiled on Nov. 6, was developed after series of needs and technical assessments in consultation with key stakeholders.
He said that the NEITI Audit Management System (NAMS) would move data gathering and submission for NEITI’s audits from the present manual mode to an automated one.
“NAMS will be unveiled virtually on Friday, 6th November 2020 by 10am. The launch will be followed by an interactive session with companies and government agencies directly on the platform.
“There are also ongoing engagements with covered entities to make the migration as seamless as possible. The automated platform will be deployed for the 2020 NEITI audits and future ones,” he said.
He quoted the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Waziri Ado as saying that the platform was a great mileage for the sector.
“This a win-win for everyone involved in the NEITI audit process in terms of cost and efficiency gains.
“One of the clear lessons of the moment is that automation is needed on many fronts not just for the future but even for the present.
“We are indebted to our stakeholders and supporters for seeing the need with us and working collaboratively to develop a platform that is fit-for-purpose,” he quoted Ado as saying.
He noted that with NAMS, extractive companies and government agencies covered under NEITI’s audits could make their audit submissions in real time.
He added that the platform would provide an environment that is more secured, convenient and efficient than the current one.
“Deploying secured technology for data gathering will reduce the time and effort that all parties expend on the exercise and ultimately reduce the cost of the audits and improve the timeliness and usefulness of the reports.
“The platform allows not only for virtual submission of audit data by assigned representatives of the entities but it also has facilities for aggregation, and initial validation and reconciliation of data submitted,” he said.
NAMS was designed by Development Gateway with the support of Ford Foundation.
