Abuja, July 29, 2025 – Reportcircle News
Stakeholders from across Nigeria’s governance, media, legal, and civil society sectors have called for a far-reaching overhaul of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to strengthen transparency, accountability, and democratic governance.
This was the central thrust of a communique issued at the close of a two-day Technical Stakeholders’ Meeting on the FOI Amendment Bills and Compliance Mechanisms, held in Abuja from July 28 to 29, 2025 signed by Dr. Ruqqayah Aliyu of Bayero University Kano and Comrade Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of International Press Centre.
The meeting was organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and YIAGA Africa, with support from the European Union under the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase II (EU-SDGN II).
The high-level session convened representatives from the Federal Ministry of Justice, National Assembly, Nigerian Law Reform Commission, Civil Society Organisations, media groups, academic institutions, and the legal profession to assess existing amendment bills and propose unified reforms aimed at reinforcing compliance with the FOI Act.
FOI Act Undermined by Weak Enforcement and Poor Compliance
Participants acknowledged the FOI Act’s critical role in promoting public access to information but cited widespread non-compliance by public institutions, a lack of sanctions for violations, and the absence of an independent oversight body as key barriers to its effectiveness over the past 14 years.
Despite the Act criminalising wrongful denial of access to information, no single official or institution has been sanctioned since the law came into effect in 2011.
Stakeholders also raised concerns about the overdependence of the courts for enforcement and the inadequacy of the current annual reporting system.
In particular, the communique noted that while the Attorney-General of the Federation has consistently submitted FOI implementation reports to the National Assembly since 2011, these reports often lack substance, omit non-compliant institutions, and fail to detail remedial measures.
The recent Supreme Court ruling on April 11, 2025, which extended the FOI Act’s jurisdiction to state and local government institutions, was praised.
However, it also triggered fresh concerns about the Attorney-General’s capacity to monitor compliance across Nigeria’s vast public service landscape.
Calls for a Comprehensive Amendment Bill
Participants rejected a piecemeal approach to amending the FOI Act and instead advocated for a comprehensive, harmonised amendment bill that incorporates the two existing private members’ bills in the House of Representatives.
This unified bill, they said, should close legal and structural gaps and propose a stronger administrative sanctions framework to hold violators accountable without over-relying on criminal prosecution.
They also recommended:
Establishment of a dedicated FOI oversight body with investigative and enforcement powers.
Mandatory budgetary allocations in all public institutions for FOI implementation, including capacity-building and digitization of records.
Increased funding and responsibility for the Federal Ministry of Justice to oversee and enforce compliance across all tiers of government.
Enhanced formatting of annual FOI reports, with clear naming of non-compliant institutions and recommendations for appropriate sanctions.
Next Steps
A Committee of experts will now consolidate stakeholder inputs into a Position Paper to be presented to National Assembly sponsors for legislative harmonization and action.
The communique was formally adopted on July 29, 2025, in Abuja.
As Nigeria continues to battle entrenched opacity in governance, this multi-sectoral consensus signals a critical turning point in efforts to revitalise the FOI regime and uphold citizens’ right to know.
