In the Niger Delta, 3 of 180 requests were answered — Premium Times Nigeria
In Nigeria, a draft 2026 ranking on compliance with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act in the Niger Delta states was presented during a virtual discussion on access to public information. As Premium Times Nigeria reports, a 2024 baseline study found that public institutions in the region’s nine states responded to only three of the 180 requests submitted. The response rate was 1.7%.
Results of the baseline study
The average rate of proactive information disclosure across the nine states was 8.33%. According to the organizers, only Imo has its own state Freedom of Information law. A bill in Delta State, passed in 2019, has still not received approval.
In the ranking based on the baseline study, Abia took first place with 35 points out of 100. Delta and Imo scored 30 points each, while Cross River and Edo scored 15 each. The lowest results were recorded in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Ondo and Rivers states. At the same time, institutions in Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Delta directly rejected requests for information.
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Calls for stronger oversight
The discussion was organized by the Niger Delta Open Governance Observatory, an initiative of Policy Alert, together with Open Alliance Nigeria, ahead of the International Day for Universal Access to Information. Participants called on state legislatures, fiscal responsibility oversight institutions and courts to more actively ensure enforcement of the FOI Act. They also demanded the adoption of relevant laws at the state level and stronger disclosure of budgetary and financial data by state authorities and local governments.
Policy Alert Executive Director Tijah Bolton-Akpan said that access to information is particularly important for the region because of substantial public funding flows, including revenues from the Niger Delta Development Commission, the 13% derivation fund and Federation Account allocations. Policy Alert said the 2026 ranking is intended to update and compare indicators of access to public information in the region.
