Abuja: The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) have called for a stronger Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to boost transparency in Nigeria.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the call was made by Executive Director of CTA, Faith Nwadishi, and Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, during ‘The North-Central Regional Roundtable on the FOI Act in Nigeria’ held in Abuja. The event, themed ’14 Years of FOI and Extractives Transparency in Nigeria: Strengthening Access, Accountability and Citizen Engagement’, is part of the Strengthening Accountability and Governance in Nigeria Initiative (SAGNI), a 12-month project supported by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC) and funded by the European Union through International IDEA.
In her address, Nwadishi highlighted the urgency of addressing challenges related to access to public information in Nigeria, particularly in the extractive sector, which she described as the economic lifeline of the country. She emphasized that despite NEITI reports, it remains difficult to obtain clear and timely information from the sector, which includes oil, gas, and solid minerals. This sector, she noted, is vulnerable to corruption and lacks transparency in contracts and revenue allocation.
Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji remarked on the transformative impact of the FOI Act on Nigeria’s democratic evolution. He proposed an amendment to the Act to introduce sanctions against those who misuse it for falsehood, blackmail, or institutional harassment, stressing that the law should protect access and punish abuse to maintain its moral and democratic utility.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jeddy-Agba, represented by Mariah Obafemi, underscored the importance of transparency in the extractive sector for sustainable development, noting compliance with the FOI Act. She mentioned that the Attorney-General is mandated to submit annual compliance reports to the National Assembly.
Programme Manager EU/RoLAC, Dr Emmanuel Uche, also called for enhanced implementation of the FOI Act, urging civil society organizations and non-state actors to support the revival of whistleblower laws and public interest disclosure laws.