A new ranking has exposed a severe transparency crisis in the Niger Delta, where public institutions failed to answer 177 out of 180 Freedom of Information (FOI) requests in a recent assessment of regional disclosure performance.
The assessment identifies Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Ondo, and Rivers as among the worst performers in the region. This widespread refusal to provide information creates significant gaps in public disclosure and prevents citizens from accessing data essential for democratic oversight.
The high rate of non-compliance presents a direct challenge to the effectiveness of the Freedom of Information Act. Designed to foster accountability, the Act allows journalists and civil society groups to request documents related to public spending, contract awards, and policy implementation. When state agencies ignore these requests, they bypass the legal requirements intended to keep government actions visible to the public.
Impact on regional governance
The lack of transparency is particularly consequential in the Niger Delta due to the region’s economic significance. As the primary source of Nigeria’s oil and gas wealth, the region requires rigorous oversight to ensure that revenue and development funds are managed appropriately. The current trend of non-disclosure makes it difficult for independent monitors to verify the impact of government spending on local infrastructure and community development.
The poor performance in states like Rivers and Bayelsa suggests a pattern of institutional secrecy. This environment hampers the ability of civil society organisations to hold officials accountable for the allocation of resources and the execution of public projects. Without access to official records, verifying the progress of environmental remediation or the distribution of social welfare programmes becomes nearly impossible.
The widespread failure to respond to FOI requests has raised calls for stronger enforcement of the law. Civil rights groups and legal experts are expected to review the findings to determine if petitions to the National Assembly or legal challenges against specific state agencies are necessary to compel compliance with the Act.
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