Ogun in Nigeria to adopt FOI

Reports stemming from Nigeria say that the state of Ogun is to adopt the Freedom of Information (FOI) law. For Nigeria, a country whose reputation is synonymous with corruption and secrecy, to have all of its governing states adopting FOI is a step in the right direction.

The Nigerian FOI bill was first submitted to Nigeria's 4th National Assembly in 1999 when the country returned to democracy but it did not make much progress.

In 2003 the bill returned to the legislative chambers in the 5th National Assembly and was passed by both chambers in the first quarter of 2007. However it was vetoed by President Olusegun Obasanjo. It returned to both chambers of the 6th National Assembly in 2007 and was finally passed on May 24, 2011.

According to news reports the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Wemono Ogunde said the FOI bill would be passed on the 29th of February. However, before the Ogun adopted the National FOI example, the state would amend the seven-day response time, which is said to be too short a period.