MEDIA Rights Agenda (MRA) has demanded full implementation of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act by public institutions in Nigeria, as the law clocks 14 years today, Wednesday, May 28.
In a statement, MRA criticised federal, state, and local government institutions for widespread non-compliance and ignoring requests made through the Act.
The organisations also criticised their failure to appoint FOI desk officers or submit annual reports to the Attorney-General of the Federation, as required by law.
“The importance of the Freedom of Information Act as a cornerstone of democratic governance is globally recognised. It is an essential tool for combating corruption, building knowledge societies, and enabling citizen participation in governance. Yet, too many public institutions continue to treat the Act with disdain by ignoring requests for information or refusing such requests, failing to designate FOI desk officers, and failing to submit their annual implementation reports to the Attorney-General of the Federation as required by law,” said MRA’s Deputy Executive Director, Ayode Longe.
Longe described the recent Supreme Court decision affirming the FOI Act’s applicability across all tiers of government as a critical step forward but stressed the need for concrete action.
The ICIR had on April 12, reported the apex court’s ruling on the Act, affirming that the National Assembly has the power to enact laws on public records and archives.
The Court emphasised that the FOIA, designed to promote transparency, citizen engagement, and accountability in public governance, was binding throughout the federation.
MRA further urged public institutions to comply fully with the FOI Act by improving record-keeping, proactively disclosing information, responding to requests promptly, and enforcing sanctions against non-compliance.
The group also called for better training for public officials, support for state-level implementation, and protection for journalists, whistleblowers, and citizens who demand accountability.
MRA’s call comes against a backdrop of poor compliance exposed by recent FOI rankings. The 2024 National FOI Ranking, jointly conducted by The ICIR, MRA, BudgIT, and other civil society groups, revealed that 72.2 per cent of MDAs failed to respond to FOI requests within 14 days.
Only 1.22 per cent of MDAs were fully proactive, while 84.9 per cent of MDAs outrightly failed to disclose requested information. The ranking also showed that while the number of ranked MDAs increased to 245, the proportion of those demonstrating full compliance remained alarmingly low.
Despite these challenges, MRA noted that the FOI Act had been crucial in exposing corruption, uncovering the mismanagement of public funds, and empowering journalists, civil society groups, and citizens to demand accountability.
The ICIR reports that the FOI Act, in various sections, highlighted the right of any individual or organisation to access information from government ministries, agencies and departments.
Section 1, subsection (1) of the FOI act, states that “Notwithstanding anything contained in any other Act, law or regulation, the right of any person to access or request information, whether or not contained in any written form, which is in the custody or possession of any Public official, Agency or institution howsoever described, is established.”
Also, section 2, subsection 4, of the same Act mandates public institutions to ensure that information requested by an individual or organisation is widely disseminated and made readily available to the public through various means, including print, electronic and online sources, and at the offices of such public institutions.
In case there’s a reason as to why an FOI request will not be granted, the Act states that the affected organisation must give written notice to the applicant that the information will not be granted, referencing the section of the Act under which the denial is made.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M