Group expresses concern over poor allocation of funding for implementation of FOI 

By Enyinna Omoke, Abakaliki 

Media Rights Agenda (MRA) today expressed concern over the poor allocation of funding for the implementation of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011, in the 2026 Federal Government budget, with over 99 percent of public institutions having no dedicated funds to carry out their obligations under the Act.  It accused the Government of institutionalizing a culture of secrecy in governance.

Following a detailed review of the allocations made to public institutions in the Federal Government’s budget, MRA noted in a report released today that only 13 ministries, departments and agencies, representing less than one percent of all Federal public institutions, made specific budgetary provisions for the implementation of the FOI Act or related activities. 

According to the organization, although the Federal Government’s total budgeted expenditure for 2026 amounts to ₦58,472,628,944,759 (over ₦58.47 trillion), the total allocation for FOI implementation and related activities is ₦191.1 million across 13 public institutions, representing a mere 0.00033 percent of the national budget. 

MRA’s Deputy Executive Director, Mr. Ayode Longe, said in a statement issued in Lagos:  “The FOI Act imposes clear obligations on public institutions, including the proactive publication of information, proper maintenance of records, training of personnel, designation of FOI Desk Officers, submission of annual implementation reports to the Attorney-General of the Federation, and responding to requests for information from members of the public, among others. Effective compliance with these obligations requires dedicated financial resources. Without adequate funding, these responsibilities cannot be meaningfully discharged.”

He noted that in many instances in past years, the absence of budget lines for the implementation of the FOI Act and, therefore, financial resources, has led to poor record-keeping systems, lack of awareness even among public officials, delayed responses to information requests, and the general erosion of the public’s right to know, adding that these challenges have persisted over the years due largely to the failure of public institutions to prioritize FOI Act compliance in their planning and budgeting processes.

Arguing that the failure to allocate funding for the implementation of the FOI Act is not merely an administrative oversight but a calculated effort to starve public institutions of resources for enforcement and compliance with the Law and foist a “reign of opacity” on Nigerians, Mr. Longe criticized the persistent neglect, noting that it reflects a troubling lack of commitment by the Government to transparency, accountability, and the fundamental right of access to information guaranteed by the Act.

Titled “A Vote Against Transparency: A Report on Allocations for Freedom of Information Implementation in 2026 Federal Budget”, the report also contains “Guidelines for Public Institutions in Budgeting for Freedom of Information Implementation Activities” and an accompanying “Budget Template”, both developed by MRA, to guide and assist public institutions in budgeting for the implementation of the FOI Act or related activities.

The report indicates that only 13 out of over 1,300 public institutions made any mention of the FOI Act in their budget lines, meaning that over 99 percent of Federal ministries, departments and agencies have no plan and no funds to train FOI Desk officers, digitize their records, meet their proactive publications obligations, prepare and submit their statutory annual implementation reports to the Attorney-General of the Federation,  or respond to requests for information, as required by law, among other obligations.

The post Group expresses concern over poor allocation of funding for implementation of FOI  appeared first on THE AUTHORITY NEWS.