MRA Critiques Nigeria's 2026 FOI Budget Allocation

The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) expressed concern over the poor funding for the implementation of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act in Nigeria's 2026 federal budget. In a statement released on Tuesday, MRA's Deputy Executive Director, Mr.

Ayod, highlighted that 99% of public institutions do not have dedicated funds to carry out obligations under the FOI Act. A detailed review of the budget revealed that only 0.00033% of the total federal budget, which amounts to N58,472,628,944,759, is allocated for FOI-related activities, totaling just N191.1 million across 13 public institutions.

The FOI Act imposes clear obligations on public institutions, including proactive public information dissemination, proper record maintenance, training personnel, and submitting annual implementation reports. The MRA noted that the absence of a budget line for the FOI Act in previous years has led to poor record-keeping systems and a lack of awareness among public officials, ultimately eroding the public's right to know.