National Economy
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
  • Home
  • News
    • International Business
  • Lead-In
    • Cover
    • Investigation
  • Economy
    • Nigerian Economy
    • Fiscal Policy
    • Energy
    • Agri Business
    • Transportation
    • Industry
    • Competition
    • Homes & Property
    • Insurance
    • Companies & Markets
      • Companies
      • Capital Market
  • Tech
  • States & Politics
  • Commentary
    • Analyst
    • Business Matters
    • All Angles Considered
    • ClickSend
  • Editorial
  • Data
  • Others
    • Opinion
    • Money Guide
    • Analysis
    • Growth
    • Sport Economy
No Result
View All Result
Read News
National Economy
  • Home
  • News
    • International Business
  • Lead-In
    • Cover
    • Investigation
  • Economy
    • Nigerian Economy
    • Fiscal Policy
    • Energy
    • Agri Business
    • Transportation
    • Industry
    • Competition
    • Homes & Property
    • Insurance
    • Companies & Markets
      • Companies
      • Capital Market
  • Tech
  • States & Politics
  • Commentary
    • Analyst
    • Business Matters
    • All Angles Considered
    • ClickSend
  • Editorial
  • Data
  • Others
    • Opinion
    • Money Guide
    • Analysis
    • Growth
    • Sport Economy
No Result
View All Result
National Economy
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Stakeholders Warn Against Weakening FoI Act

by Ngozi Ibe
2 months ago
in News
Reading Time: 6 mins read
FOI
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Telegram

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s media, civil society and governance sectors have called for stronger compliance mechanisms and sanctions for public officials who default, as discussions on the proposed amendments to the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act (2011) gather momentum.

At a two-day technical session convened in Abuja under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase II (EU-SDGNII) programme, participants stressed the need to ensure that any review of the Act strengthens rather than weakens citizens’ right of access to information.

The session, which was jointly organised by the International Press Centre (IPC), the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), Policy and Legislative Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and YIAGA Africa, brought together about 25 stakeholders, including representatives of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), media organisations and civil society groups.

Speaking at the opening, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of IPC, said that access to information remains “the oxygen of democracy,” adding that political officeholders often exploit loopholes to withhold public information.

You May Like

AfDB, Private Sector Leaders Forge Stronger Alliance For Africa’s Growth

Africa Must Turn Trade Disruptions Into Growth Opportunities – AfDB President

“It may seem odd that just 14 years after the FOI Act came into effect, we are discussing amendments. But it is a reality we must contend with. We must be vigilant to ensure that any review strengthens, rather than erodes, the right of access to information,” he said.

Arogundade lamented that many MDAs fail to comply with Section 29 of the FOI Act, which mandates them to submit annual reports to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation. This, he said, allows some defaulting agencies to escape public scrutiny.

He also called for a review of sanctions for deliberate non-disclosure and destruction of public records, provisions to enable MDAs to budget adequately for FOI compliance, and measures to ensure capacity building for designated FOI desk officers.

In his opening remarks, Executive Director of CEMESO, Dr. Akin Akingbulu, described the FOI Act as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s democracy but said its implementation has faltered.

He recounted instances where journalists and citizens seeking information were threatened or ignored by public institutions, saying such experiences underscore the need for reform.

“The FOI Act was not just a legal innovation; it was a democratic declaration that Nigerians deserve to know how their taxes are spent and what decisions are made in their name,” Akingbulu said.

“Yet 14 years later, many public institutions act as though the FOI Act is a favour they can withhold, not a duty they are bound to fulfil. We must ensure that the amendment process does not become an exercise in weakening the law.”

Akingbulu further criticised the absence of sanctions for non-compliance and noted that many agencies neither designate FOI desk officers nor allocate budgets for implementation.

He stressed that the Supreme Court ruling affirming the applicability of the FOI Act at all levels of government must be reflected in the amendment process, as some state governments still act as if the law does not bind them.

“We must not regress. This is the time to strengthen compliance, clarify sanctions for defaulting institutions, and reaffirm that the right to know is not a privilege, it is a constitutional entitlement,” he added.

The session’s lead resource person, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), is expected to guide deliberations on the proposed amendments and lead the development of a Position Paper capturing the voices and recommendations of the various stakeholders.

The technical meeting will also examine how to overhaul Nigeria’s FOI reporting architecture to ensure all MDAs, including those at state and local government levels, comply fully with their obligations under the Act.

The FOI Act, which came into force in 2011 after over a decade of advocacy, grants Nigerians the right to request information from public institutions. However, challenges such as poor compliance, lack of sanctions, and entrenched secrecy in government institutions have limited its effectiveness.

Tags: FOI
ShareTweetShare
Previous Post

Impact Of Fake Colleagues In A Workplace

Next Post

Coca-Cola To Sell Chivita|Hollandia To UAC In Major Industry Shake-Up

ANOTHER GOOD READ

AfDB, Partners Raise $2.2bn For Agro Zones Expansion
News

AfDB, Private Sector Leaders Forge Stronger Alliance For Africa’s Growth

3 minutes ago
AfDB, Partners Raise $2.2bn For Agro Zones Expansion
News

Africa Must Turn Trade Disruptions Into Growth Opportunities – AfDB President

5 minutes ago
Ogun MAN Urges Manufacturers To Explore Alternative Funding
News

MAN Condemns Labour Unions Over Dangote Refinery Dispute

1 hour ago
Matawalle Strengthens Nigeria Defence Diplomacy, Strategic Acquisitions— Says Nothern youths
News

NNPCL Extends Crude Supply To Dangote Refinery For 2 Years

1 hour ago
Lagos NURTW Member Arraigned Over Alleged Murder Of Dispatch Rider
News

Lagos NURTW Member Arraigned Over Alleged Murder Of Dispatch Rider

14 hours ago
ARISE News Maduagwu’s Death Painful, Unfortunate
News

ARISE News Maduagwu’s Death Painful, Unfortunate

14 hours ago
Next Post
Coca-Cola To Sell Chivita|Hollandia To UAC In Major Industry Shake-Up

Coca-Cola To Sell Chivita|Hollandia To UAC In Major Industry Shake-Up

Most Recent

AfDB, Partners Raise $2.2bn For Agro Zones Expansion

AfDB, Private Sector Leaders Forge Stronger Alliance For Africa’s Growth

October 1, 2025
AfDB, Partners Raise $2.2bn For Agro Zones Expansion

Africa Must Turn Trade Disruptions Into Growth Opportunities – AfDB President

October 1, 2025
National Grid Collapses Again Triggering Widespread Blackouts

65th Independence: Experts Hail New Electricity Act As Game-Changer For Power Sector

October 1, 2025
FAAN Seeks Investment In Cargo, Aviation Industry

FAAN Rolls Out Contactless Payment System At Lagos, Abuja Airports

October 1, 2025
Commercial Sex Workers To Pay Income Tax Under New Law

Commercial Sex Workers To Pay Income Tax Under New Law

October 1, 2025
Nigeria, South Africa Poised To Exit FATF Grey List In October

Nigeria, South Africa Poised To Exit FATF Grey List In October

October 1, 2025
FCT, Lagos, Rivers Generate 70% Of Air Transport GDP

African Airlines Lead Global Air Cargo Growth With 11% Surge In August

October 1, 2025
Ogun MAN Urges Manufacturers To Explore Alternative Funding

MAN Condemns Labour Unions Over Dangote Refinery Dispute

October 1, 2025
Advertise with us

© 2024 | National Economy

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • International Business
  • Lead-In
    • Cover
    • Investigation
  • Economy
    • Nigerian Economy
    • Fiscal Policy
    • Energy
    • Agri Business
    • Transportation
    • Industry
    • Competition
    • Homes & Property
    • Insurance
    • Companies & Markets
      • Companies
      • Capital Market
  • Tech
  • States & Politics
  • Commentary
    • Analyst
    • Business Matters
    • All Angles Considered
    • ClickSend
  • Editorial
  • Data
  • Others
    • Opinion
    • Money Guide
    • Analysis
    • Growth
    • Sport Economy

© 2024 | National Economy