The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has hailed the recent landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which affirmed the applicability of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2011 to all tiers of government, including State institutions.

HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, in a statement on Sunday, described the verdict as a monumental triumph for transparency, accountability, and participatory democracy in Nigeria.

The ruling overturns a 2018 judgment of the Court of Appeal that had limited the FOIA’s reach.

He called the judgment a long-deserved victory for the Nigerian people, stating that it reinforces the constitutional right of citizens to access public records and demand explanations from their leaders.

“The judgment represents a decisive step toward deepening democratic governance and ensuring that the dividends of democracy reach all Nigerians through openness and accountability,” Suraju said.

He commended the Supreme Court for its bold and progressive interpretation of the law, adding that the ruling dismantles the long-standing excuse by state institutions that the FOIA does not apply to them in the absence of State-enacted versions.

According to him, the judgment signals the end of opacity in state-level governance and empowers every Nigerian to hold government agencies accountable.

Suraju urged pressure groups, civil society actors, Journalists, and citizens to judiciously use the FOI Act in demanding transparency in public administration.

“This decision must not be celebrated in theory alone; it must spark renewed vigor in civic activism and institutional oversight, especially at the sub-national level.

“This ruling validates the decade-long advocacy of civil society organizations championing open governance despite institutional resistance,” he said.