Media Rights Agenda ,MRA, has commended the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, for his recent proposals aimed at strengthening the implementation and enforcement of the Freedom of Information, FOI, Act, 2011 across public institutions in the country.
In a statement issued issued to our reporter in Taraba state on Wednesday, MRA described the Speaker’s proposals as a significant step toward institutionalizing transparency in governance and rebuilding public trust in government.
Signed by MRA’s Deputy Executive Director, Ayode Longe, the Speaker’s recommendations, as made known by him, align with long standing demands by the organization and other civil society groups.
“This is a timely and important step towards addressing the persistent culture of secrecy and non-compliance that has undermined the FOI Act for over a decade,” Longe said.
He applauded the Speaker’s recognition of the vital role access to information plays in promoting transparency, accountability, and participatory governance.
Longe also endorsed the Speaker’s criticism of the meager financial allocations for FOI-related activities in the federal budget—currently less than 0.0005 percent of the national budget—as grossly inadequate.
He identified several ongoing compliance challenges, including many public institutions’ failure to respond to FOI requests, non-designation of FOI desk officers, lack of annual compliance reports, inadequate training of staff, and non-disclosure of key information as mandated by the law.
He expressed optimism that the Speaker’s proposals, if implemented, would help address these gaps.
“Allocating resources for FOI units, staff training, digitization of records, and timely submission of compliance reports will enhance the effectiveness of the Act,” he said.
MRA urged the National Assembly to follow through with concrete legislative and oversight actions, including amending appropriation procedures to incorporate FOI compliance lines and performance indicators tied to transparency and responsiveness.
“As Nigeria grapples with corruption, insecurity, and growing mistrust in public institutions, the full and effective implementation of the FOI Act must be treated not just as a legal duty, but as a governance necessity,” Longe emphasized.