Fourteen years! In 2011, a law was enacted to revolutionize transparency. Yet, the fight for information in Nigeria is far from over.
On May 30th, 2025, Policy Alert brought together civil society groups, legal experts, and concerned citizens for a landmark webinar: “Assessing Progress and Gaps in Nigeria’s Access to Information Implementation.” This wasn’t just a reflection on the Freedom of Information Act’s 14th anniversary; it was an urgent examination of the battle for accountability, highlighting the FOIA’s groundbreaking wins alongside the frustrating obstacles and gaps that still shackles its full power within public institutions. The session featured expert insights and real-life experiences, so join us as we uncover the true narratives of this ongoing struggle and chart a course for a more open future.
Progress So Far
Mr Godwin Garba, Head of Freedom of Information Unit, Federal Ministry of Justice, shared some information about the progress made so far with the FOI Act. He pointed out that since the introduction of the FOI Act, there has been remarkable progress in increasing transparency and accountability in governance. Initially, many public institutions were unprepared or unwilling to comply with the law, often rejecting information requests outright.
However, by 2024, Mr Garba said the FOI unit observed a significant shift. For instance, in the 2024 Compliance Report, approximately 143 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) submitted detailed reports indicating how they responded to FOI requests, including the number of cases handled, days spent in court, and instances where access was denied. Mr. Godwin highlighted the role of civil society organizations in promoting transparency through the use of FOIA. He emphasized that these groups have played a crucial role in holding the government accountable and encouraging citizen participation, contributing significantly to the growth and awareness of the Act. He mentioned how inclusive the Act is, stating persons with disabilities can access information through a third-party.
This growing acceptance of the Act, Mr Garba said, is promising, and based on current efforts, the FOI unit is optimistic about reaching over 200 institutions this year, which happens to be a major step toward ensuring compliance across Nigeria’s estimated 800 public institutions.
Faith Nwadishi, Executive Director, Center for Transparency Advocacy mentioned a few hurdles faced in implementation of the Act. She started off by mentioning that Section 1 of the FOI Act clearly states that anyone can request government information, provided a valid reason is given but called attention to the exemptions clause in the FOI Act, which has been misused, particularly in sectors like Oil and Gas, where corruption remains rampant. She pointed out that there have been strong push backs from powerful institutions like the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), making transparency efforts challenging.
President Aigbokhan, Executive Director, FOI counsel, stressed that Nigeria is gradually adopting a new norm: citizens’ right to access government information, except in cases where such information falls under specific exemptions. He reiterated that public interest must always come first, especially when it comes to the proper use of government funds. He clarified that all Nigerian states are legally bound to follow the federal FOI Act, regardless of whether they have enacted their own laws. He warned against redundant state legislation that duplicates federal laws, urging state houses of assembly to focus on local issues not covered by federal statutes.
Nma Nnaobi-Ayodele, the Co-Chair (Non-State) OGP Nigeria/ Deputy Director African Center for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development spoke about the Open Government Partnership concept in tandem with the FOIA. She stressed that by strengthening the implementation of the FOI Act, we empower citizens, fight corruption, and build a more open and accountable Nigeria. She further encouraged greater synergy between the FOI Act, grassroot organizations and global initiatives like the Open Government Partnership (OGP), which promotes transparency, citizen participation, and accountability.
Chris Ugwuala, Registrar Ethics and Corporate Compliance Institute of Nigeria who was part of the panel when talking about how citizens can actively be part of the FOIA’ implementation process observed that citizens have been doing their best in engaging but that training by Civil Society has been minimal making access by citizens look like a cumbersome process. He encouraged more work and engagements between civil society groups and citizens to help boost participation.
Persistent Challenges Identified
Despite the progress, several challenges remain and were identified as follows:
1. Pushback from some public institutions
2. Limited engagement with the FOI Act by citizens
3. Resistance from certain state governments
4. Misuse of exemption clauses to withhold critical information
These barriers show the need for continued advocacy, education, and institutional reform. From the webinar it is clear that more has to be done. It is therefore necessary to encourage all stakeholders to continue using the FOI Act as a tool for activism and civic engagement. The FOI makes every single citizen a legislator on their own turf. Hence we call on;Citizens to embrace the FOI Act as a means of demanding accountability and transparency, Civil Society Organizations to continue training people on how to use the Act effectively, Public Institutions to fully implement the Act and ensure timely responses to information requests, State Governments to align with the federal framework and avoid legislative duplication.
Transparency is not just a legal obligation, it is a cornerstone of democracy, therefore, let us continue working together for accountability, for justice, and for a better Nigeria.
