Abuja, Nigeria – At the North-Central Regional Roundtable on the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, held on June 4, 2025, Nma Nnaobi-Ayodele, Co-chair (Non-State Actors) of the National Steering Committee of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in Nigeria, emphasized the need to strengthen the demand side of the FOI ecosystem by actively encouraging citizens to request information from public institutions.
Speaking at the event organized by the SAGNI Project to mark 14 years of the FOI Act, Nnaobi-Ayodele noted that while legal frameworks exist, meaningful implementation depends on civic action. “We cannot rely solely on the supply side of transparency. Citizens must take ownership by exercising their right to request information. That’s how we deepen the culture of accountability,” she said.
She also stressed the importance of strategic collaboration within civil society, urging larger and more experienced Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to mentor and build the capacity of smaller, grassroots organizations to engage more effectively with the FOI process. “Established CSOs must intentionally support emerging ones. The strength of our advocacy lies in our ability to grow together and build a stronger, more informed civic community,” she added.
The event, hosted at NEITI House in Abuja, brought together key stakeholders from government institutions, the media, legal community, and civil society to assess the progress, challenges, and opportunities of the FOI Act in the past 14 years.
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