International organizations, fiscal policy experts and transparency advocates agree that civil society and the general public need to understand budget figures to effectively monitor the use of public funds.

Over the last fortnight, disclosures of oil and gas company payments to governments have poured in. 

Resource-rich Latin American countries did experience high rates of economic growth and diminished poverty and inequality during the boom years. On the surface, this would appear to strengthen arguments that extractive industries are key to progress, especially in resource-rich areas, despite their negative environmental impact. Nevertheless, a closer look shows that things are a bit more complicated.

Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) can be effective tools for managing natural resource revenues. However, as their numbers continue to grow, with the largest funds managing hundreds of billions or even a trillion dollars in assets, researchers are paying more attention to how well these funds are governed.

NRGI collected and analyzed Tullow’s yearly disclosures across payment types required to be disclosed under EU rules and of relevance to Ghana.

Since its independence from the Soviet Union, the Kyrgyz Republic has undergone more dynamic political development toward democracy compared to neighboring countries. However, it has not met its full economic potential. Continuing reform of its mining sector—identified as one of the five key strategic industries of the economy—is paramount.

С момента обретения независимости после распада Советского Союза политическое развитие демократического процесса в Кыргызской Республике происходило более интенсивно, чем в соседних странах. Однако экономический потенциал страны в полной мере не реализован. Непрерывное реформирование горнодобывающего сектора имеет первостепенное значение, учитывая тот факт, что он является одной из пяти основных стратегических отраслей экономики.

NRGI is publishing case studies on South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia that describe alternative legal and institutional mechanisms that these countries have put in place to control the price of mineral exports, operational and capital expenditures, and the cost of debt.

When Premium Times began investigating the Malabu oil scandal—which involves Royal Dutch Shell and Eni, as well as former Nigeria petroleum minister Dan Etete and other politically exposed persons—there was little sense of where the Nigerian newspaper’s reporting would lead.

What royalties should companies pay? What can governments hope to earn in the future? Do the companies really need tax reductions?