Abstract

This chapter assesses the characteristics of Nigeria's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), first in relation to previous Acts in Nigeria which partly regulated access to information (ATI), and secondly in relation to emerging challenges. Using archival records, secondary data, and substantive interviews of officials of some government agencies, the chapter discusses the pre- FOIA legal regime, the FOIA, and post-enactment activities, with a view to assessing the level of transparency in practice and ascertaining the actual and possible impacts of the FOIA against the backdrop of the transparency agenda of the current Nigerian government. All the above-mentioned principles are assessed in the chapter, with extra attention given to two principles: clear exceptions as they relate to matters of Nigeria's national security, and the principle of actively promoting open government. The FOIA represents a legal framework within which the right to access information could thrive. Keywords:access to information (ATI); Nigeria's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); Nigeria's national security

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