Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has 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.
MRA’s Deputy Executive Director, Mr. Ayode Longe, in a statement, Tuesday, accused the government of institutionalising a culture of secrecy in governance.
He said 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 per cent of all federal public institutions, made specific budgetary provisions for the implementation of the FOI Act or related activities.
The organisation said although the federal government’s total budgeted expenditure for 2026 amounts to N58,472,628,944,759 (over N58.47 trillion), the total allocation for FOI implementation and related activities is N191.1 million across 13 public institutions, representing a mere 0.00033 percent of the national budget.
“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.
