Media Rights Agenda (MRA) yesterday expressed concern over the poor allocation of funding for the implementation of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act, 2011, in the 2026 Federal Government budget, with over 99 percent of public institutions having no dedicated funds to carry out their obligations under the Act. It accused the Government of institutionalising a culture of secrecy in governance.

Following a detailed review of the allocations made to public institutions in the Federal Government’s budget, MRA noted in a report released yesterday that only 13 ministries, departments and agencies, representing less than one percent of all Federal public institutions, made specific budgetary provisions for the implementation of the FoI Act or related activities.

According to the organization, although the Federal Government’s total budgeted expenditure for 2026 amounts to N58,472,628,944,759 (over N58.47 trillion), the total allocation for FOI implementation and related activities is N191.1 million across 13 public institutions, representing a mere 0.00033 percent of the national budget.

MRA’s Deputy Executive Director, Mr. Ayode Longe, said in a statement issued in Lagos: “The FoI Act imposes clear obligations on public institutions, including the proactive publication of information, proper maintenance of records, training of personnel, designation of FoI Desk Officers, submission of annual implementation reports to the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, and responding to requests for information from members of the public, among others.