Civil society organisations are marking a significant milestone as Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) celebrates its 14th anniversary this week. Advocates are gathering today to assess the law’s impact on government transparency and accountability.
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The landmark legislation, signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, positioned Nigeria within the global movement to access information by granting citizens the legal right to access public records and hold government institutions accountable.
“The FOIA was envisioned as a powerful tool to promote transparency and accountability by enabling citizens to access public records and hold their government to account,” organisers noted in announcing today’s virtual discussion forum.
However, 14 years after its passage, questions remain about the Act’s effectiveness and implementation across Nigeria’s federal structure. The recent Supreme Court judgement clarifying the applicability of the FOIA to state governments has brought renewed attention to implementation challenges at the sub-national level.
Today’s virtual forum, scheduled for 10:30 AM West Africa Time, will bring together transparency advocates, legal experts, and civil society representatives to evaluate Nigeria’s progress in implementing access to information. The discussion will aim to identify both achievements and persistent gaps in the law’s application across different levels of government.
The Google Meet session will focus on assessing the scorecard of FOIA implementation over its 14-year lifespan, with particular emphasis on how the recent Supreme Court clarification might influence state-level compliance moving forward.
Since 2011, the Act has served as a cornerstone for journalists, civil society organisations, and ordinary citizens seeking to obtain government information. However, implementation challenges, including bureaucratic resistance and limited public awareness, have continued to hamper its full potential.
The virtual discussion is open to the public and represents part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions through enhanced transparency and accountability measures.
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