Kwara’s FoI Bill: Blueprint for opacity, corruption

The Nigerian Supreme Court’s recent ruling affirming the federal Freedom of Information Act’s applicability to state governments was intended to end official impunity and enhance transparency. However, the Kwara State government’s immediate response—passing a new bill that requires the governor’s prior written consent for any information release—undermines this victory. By making the governor the sole gatekeeper of public records, the legislation effectively reverses progress toward open governance, allowing officials to delay or deny requests indefinitely without facing liability. This move directly contradicts the spirit of open data principles by prioritizing executive secrecy over public accountability. It creates a legal shield for corruption, as budgetary and procurement processes become immune to scrutiny. Such restrictive measures not only erode public trust in democratic institutions but also signal to other states that transparency can be easily rolled back through local legislation, setting a dangerous national precedent for opacity and executive overreach. The article is critically relevant to open data as it highlights the fragility of legal frameworks when political will is absent. It underscores the necessity of aligning state laws with international open government commitments and emphasizes that true data openness requires removing arbitrary bureaucratic barriers. The situation demonstrates that without active civil society oversight and constitutional enforcement, legal victories for transparency can be swiftly negated, threatening the global fight against corruption and the integrity of public data access.

Source: thesun.ng
Published on 2025-05-31

Kwara’s FoI Bill: Blueprint for opacity, corruption

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