Journalist,CSO Vow For Legal Action Against FOI Act
By Pulse Time Nigeria
Journalists and civil society actors have called on the Federal and State Governments to demonstrate stronger political will in enforcing Nigeria’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, following a two-day capacity-building workshop in Abuja that highlighted persistent secrecy and weak compliance across public institutions.
The workshop, held on December 9 and 10 at Davina Hill Resort and Hotel, was organized by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) with support from Luminate.
It brought together 35 journalists and civil society representatives from Abuja and several northern states for intensive training on the use of the FOI Act as a tool for investigative reporting, civic monitoring, and democratic accountability.
Participants reviewed the state of FOI implementation more than a decade after the law was enacted and expressed concern over what they described as widespread institutional resistance to transparency.
They noted that many government agencies either ignore information requests or issue unjustified denials, despite the Act’s mandatory provisions.
They also cited pervasive ignorance among public officials about the FOI Act, a culture of secrecy across ministries and agencies, and the absence of effective sanctions for non-compliance—factors they said continue to embolden impunity.
According to the communique, the slow pace of judicial processes further undermines access to timely information, especially for journalists working under tight deadlines.
Reaffirming their belief in the public’s right to know as a cornerstone of democracy, participants resolved to make more strategic and systematic use of the FOI Act in their reporting and advocacy work.
They pledged to integrate FOI requests into investigative projects, track government spending, monitor public projects, and expose corruption using verifiable information rather than anecdotal evidence.
They also committed to expanding public enlightenment campaigns, especially at the grassroots, to help citizens understand their right to request information.
The communique emphasized the need for collaboration within the media and civil society to share knowledge, document cases of non-compliance, and pursue legal remedies when requests are unlawfully denied.
Participants urged government at all levels to ensure full implementation of the Act, including the establishment of FOI desks staffed by trained officers and the proactive publication of key information as required by law.
They called on the Attorney-General of the Federation to exercise his oversight role by issuing directives and initiating legal action against defiant institutions.
Given the growing role of digital technology in governance and information management, the communique recommended that public institutions adopt digital platforms to simplify FOI request processes, track responses, and ensure more accessible record keeping.
It also encouraged all stakeholders to leverage digital tools to analyze released data and make public information more readily available.
Participants commended MRA for its longstanding commitment to promoting freedom of information, digital rights, and media accountability in Nigeria.
They expressed appreciation to the facilitators and sponsors of the workshop and reaffirmed their commitment to working collectively to strengthen FOI implementation nationwide.