MRA, IPC Urge Transparency as Disinformation Threatens Access to Information
The Media Rights Agenda (MRA), in collaboration with the International Press Centre (IPC), marked the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI), observed annually on 28 September,...
The Media Rights Agenda (MRA), in collaboration with the International Press Centre (IPC), marked the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI), observed annually on 28 September, by calling for greater transparency in the age of disinformation.
At the 2026 IDUAI observance on Monday, the organisations also urged gender-responsive implementation of Nigeria’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Act so women and other vulnerable groups can effectively access public information.
The event, themed “Freedom of Information (FOI) in the Age of Disinformation: Why Transparency Matters More Than Ever,” brought together civil society organisations and legal practitioners to examine challenges affecting access to public information and the role of transparency in combating disinformation.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director of the International Press Centre, noted that the programme was convened at a time when access to credible and verifiable information has become increasingly central to democratic governance, public accountability, and informed citizenship.
He further explained that even though information spreads faster and wider because of social media and other actors, the abundance of information does not necessarily translate into greater access to reliable public information, as authoritative information is difficult to obtain, delayed, incomplete, or inaccessible; the resulting information vacuum can create fertile ground for speculation, misinformation, and disinformation.
He therefore encouraged participants to continue using the Freedom of Information Act to demand information for accountability’s sake. He also demanded that the law be applied effectively and that the procedure be available to those who need it.
“We live in a period in which information travels faster, reaches wider audiences, and can be produced and amplified by more actors than ever before. Yet the abundance of information has not necessarily translated into greater access to reliable public information. Where authoritative information is difficult to obtain, delayed, incomplete, or inaccessible, the resulting information vacuum can create fertile ground for speculation, misinformation, and disinformation.
“This is why freedom of information should not be understood simply as a legal entitlement to request documents from public institutions. It is an essential component of accountable governance, informed citizenship, and credible public discourse.
“The Freedom of Information Act provides an important framework for citizens, journalists, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to seek information held by public institutions. But the existence of a law is only one part of the equation. Its democratic value ultimately depends on how effectively it is implemented and how accessible the process is to those who need to use it.
Speaking at the event, Ayomide Eweje, Programme Officer at MRA, said gender-responsive FOI implementation was necessary to address factors that may prevent different groups from exercising their right to information equally.
“Gender-responsive FOI implementation is not about giving women more rights than men. It’s about identifying and addressing factors that may prevent people from exercising an existing right equally,” Ms Eweje said.
She said there was limited national data specifically measuring Nigerian women’s use of the FOI Act, noting that women needed to be better informed about the law and how it could be used to demand accountability.
Ms Eweje cited an all-women roundtable organised by the HumAngle Foundation in Abuja in October 2024 to address what it described as a gender gap in the use of the FOI Act.
She said participants recommended increased awareness of the law through local languages, radio and other accessible media, alongside greater institutional support and the integration of FOI into existing accountability initiatives.
According to her, a gender-responsive approach should consider whether different gender groups can access information rights equitably, whether public information reflects their different needs and experiences, and whether public institutions collect, store, and provide information in accessible ways. She stressed that the approach was not about treating women as a separate category of FOI applicants.
Also speaking, Dr. (Mrs.) Abiola Afolabi-Akiode, founding Executive Director of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), said women and girls require targeted access to information to protect and claim their rights.
Dr. (Mrs.) Afolabi-Akiode, represented by WARDC’s Media and Communication Officer, Olaniyi Olaniyan, identified sexual and reproductive health, maternal mortality prevention, gender-based violence support services, relevant laws and government programmes, justice mechanisms, and technology-facilitated violence as areas requiring urgent attention.
“I would like to begin by saying that access to information is a fundamental thing that we should have. It has to be transparent. It has to be accountable, and participation and protection of human rights are quite essential to this,” she said.
She urged civil society organisations to move beyond creating awareness about the FOI Act by tracking responses and non-responses to information requests.
According to her, Nigeria’s FOI Act provides citizens with legal rights to request and access information held by public institutions, but the existence of the law does not automatically guarantee effective access.
She cited the Federal Ministry of Justice’s 2023 FOI implementation report, which, according to her, showed that up to 90 percent of public institutions had failed to comply with their statutory reporting obligations since the enactment of the Act.
She identified poor record-keeping, inadequate funding, bureaucracy, limited awareness among public officials, and delays in responding to requests as some of the challenges affecting implementation.
In his submission, Mr Alimi Adamu, a legal practitioner, highlighted the legal mechanisms for enforcing the FOI Act and the role of legal practitioners in compelling public institutions to comply.
Mr Adamu said Nigeria’s FOI framework was judicial-driven, noting that unlike countries with information commissioners, Nigeria relies on state and federal high courts to compel compliance.
He said the Supreme Court had settled disputes concerning the applicability of the Act to state governments and public-funded private entities, but administrative resistance remained a challenge.
Ms Anikeade Funke-Treasure, Executive Director of the Illuminate Nigeria Development Network, also highlighted the role of the FOI Act in combating digital misinformation and safeguarding journalistic integrity in Nigeria.
She also charged the members of the public to start demanding accountability from the National Orientation Agency, as it is its primary responsibility to ensure that the information space is well sanitised by providing accessible information to the public. She stressed that the failure of NOA has created an information vacuum in society, a gap that must be filled urgently.
No Comment! Be the first one.