FOI: MRA, IPC seek sanctions against erring officials

Executive Director of the IPC, Lanre Arogundade.

Media Rights Agenda and the International Press Centre have called for sanctions against public officials and institutions that persistently and wilfully violate Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

The organisations noted poor compliance with the law remained widespread, with many public institutions allegedly denying, delaying or ignoring legitimate requests for information.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a multi-stakeholder conference held in Lagos on September 28, 2026, to commemorate the International Day for Universal Access to Information.

The conference, themed “Freedom of Information in the Age of Disinformation: Why Transparency Matters More Than Ever,” brought together journalists, media professionals, civil society organisations, lawyers and other stakeholders to assess the implementation of the FOI Act and the importance of access to credible public information.

In his welcome address, the Executive Director of the IPC, Lanre Arogundade, said combating disinformation should not be reduced to asking citizens to “check the facts.”

He stated that public institutions also had a responsibility to provide credible information, clearly explain their decisions and respond appropriately to legitimate requests.

Arogundade mentioned that the challenge was not merely whether information existed, but whether systems for accessing, verifying and using public information were strong enough to promote democratic accountability.

Participants observed that, despite the FOI Act being in force for more than 15 years, compliance by public institutions at all levels of government remained largely poor.

They said many agencies still failed to respond to requests, denied access without legitimate reasons and failed to proactively publish information as required by law.

The stakeholders identified ignorance of the Act among public officials and citizens, as well as a pervasive culture of secrecy in public institutions, as major obstacles to its effective implementation. They warned that delays in responding to information requests could undermine investigative journalism, public-interest reporting, civic monitoring and other time-sensitive activities.

The conference also noted that the absence of timely and reliable information from government institutions created gaps that made it difficult for citizens, journalists and other stakeholders to verify claims and distinguish accurate information from misinformation and disinformation.

Participants further highlighted the gender dimensions of FOI implementation, noting that women and other marginalised groups could face additional barriers to accessing information and participating in transparency and accountability processes.

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They attributed the absence of effective sanctions for non-compliance to what they described as a culture of impunity among public institutions.

The stakeholders resolved to make greater and more strategic use of the FOI Act in investigative reporting, civic monitoring, research and advocacy, while strengthening collaboration among media organisations, lawyers and civil society groups.

They also resolved to increase public awareness of the right to information, document experiences of using the Act and pursue legal remedies, including litigation, where necessary, to challenge wrongful denial of information.

The participants called on governments at all levels to demonstrate stronger commitment to implementing the Act and urged public institutions to establish dedicated FOI desks staffed by trained personnel.

They also called for proactive publication of information in line with Sections 2(3) and 2(4) of the Act, improved record-keeping systems and the provision of information in accessible and usable formats.

The stakeholders urged the media to make more systematic use of the FOI Act in investigative and public-interest journalism, while calling on civil society organisations to intensify public enlightenment, monitoring and advocacy.

They further urged the Attorney-General of the Federation to exercise his oversight responsibilities more rigorously and issue appropriate directives against officials and institutions that persistently and willfully violate the Act.

The judiciary, they said, should expedite the hearing and determination of FOI cases to ensure information obtained through litigation remains timely and relevant, in accordance with Sections 20 and 21 of the Act.

The participants also called on the National Orientation Agency to intensify grassroots awareness campaigns on citizens’ right to information and the provisions of the FOI Act.

They urged public institutions, the media and civil society organisations to prioritise transparency and proactive disclosure of accurate information as a means of combating misinformation and disinformation.

The conference reaffirmed that access to information remained central to transparency, accountability, public participation and democratic governance.