Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, Executive Secretary, NEITI
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) wishes to respond to a public statement issued on June 6, 2025, by the Media Rights Agenda (MRA), which commented on the remarks made by NEITI’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, during the event commemorating the 14th Anniversary of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act in Abuja.
NEITI fully acknowledges and respects MRA’s long-standing and well-documented contributions to the development, passage, and implementation of the FOI Act in Nigeria. However, we believe that the interpretation of Dr. Orji’s remarks at the event has regrettably taken the statements out of context and does not reflect the intent, tone, or content of what was expressed.
We write not in confrontation, but in the spirit of constructive engagement and shared commitment to transparency, openness, and civic participation—values that are central both to the FOI Act and NEITI’s institutional mandate.
FOI Act: A Law NEITI Helped Shape and Continues to Champion
It is important to situate NEITI’s position within the historical context of its deep and active support for the FOI Act. Over 14 years ago, our current Executive Secretary—then serving as NEITI’s Director of Communications—played a pivotal role in advocating for the passage of the law. Working closely with MRA’s Executive Director, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, and the Federal Ministry of Justice, he served as NEITI’s desk officer on FOI matters, coordinating multi-stakeholder consultations, mobilising civil society and the media, and harmonising perspectives that ultimately helped shape the content and success of the FOI legislation.
That commitment has not wavered.
Clarifying the Speech: A Call for Vigilance, Not Restriction
Dr. Orji’s remarks at the anniversary event—graciously convened by the Centre for Transparency Advocacy, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, RoLAC, and the CSO Representative on the NEITI Board—should be understood as a contribution to the broader dialogue on the evolution of the FOI Act.
Far from calling for the restriction or criminalization of legitimate information requests, the remarks underscored the need for shared vigilance and collective safeguards to protect the FOI space from being compromised by a few actors who may seek to exploit it for purposes that do not serve transparency or the public interest.
This concern was specifically directed at emerging patterns of misuse—including impersonation by entities masquerading as NGOs or CSOs, engaging in blackmail or extortion under the guise of FOI requests. It was never aimed at journalists, civic actors, researchers, or the vast majority of citizens who use the Act constructively and in good faith.
NEITI’s Track Record: Walking the Talk on FOI Compliance
As an institution, NEITI is one of the few government bodies that not only complies fully with the FOI Act but exceeds the minimum requirements. We proudly highlight our record:
- Annual FOI compliance reports submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation;
- Proactive disclosures of audit reports, financial data, procurement records, and beneficial ownership data;
- Publicly accessible open data portals and dashboards that allow citizens and stakeholders real-time access to vital information;
- A robust institutional culture of transparency, openness, and accountability.
These consistent practices have earned NEITI both national recognition and international acclaim as a model for openness in governance.
Our call is therefore not for restriction, but for responsibility—on all sides.
Building Capacity and Strengthening the Act
The speech in question also highlighted three forward-looking recommendations which we believe are crucial for the FOI Act to thrive:
- Capacity building and training for public institutions to improve the quality and timeliness of responses to FOI requests;
- Grassroots civic education to promote the responsible and informed use of the law by citizens;
- Experience-based safeguards, developed through dialogue with civil society, to ensure the law remains effective and resistant to manipulation.
These are not proposals to dilute the law—they are strategies to future-proof it.
Dialogue, Not Discord
NEITI welcomes MRA’s continued leadership in the FOI space and sees this moment not as a setback, but as an opportunity to broaden civic dialogue on how the law can be strengthened—not just protected in principle, but improved in practice.
We respectfully urge MRA and other stakeholders to consider the Executive Secretary’s remarks as a call for reflection, not repression. A call to protect the Act, not punish its users. A call to improve implementation, not diminish its purpose.
We remain open to continued engagement with MRA, the Ministry of Justice, RoLAC, the CSO community, and all partners in the FOI ecosystem to sustain this dialogue, address genuine concerns, and co-create solutions for a more open, informed, and accountable Nigeria.
Let us strengthen this civic space together—with both hands.
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