Nigeria, May 6 -- On 11 April, the Supreme Court gave a landmark judgement affirming that the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act is applicable to all tiers of government, including the 36 states of the federation.

Contrary to the arguments many state governments have canvassed over the years to dodge compliance with the FOI Act, a federal legislation, the court held that the National Assembly is competent to enact laws on public records and archives.

The judgement is a milestone for the 14-year-old legislation, whose implementation has encountered challenges due to limited commitment to transparent and democratic governance in the country.

The verdict was prompted by a suit commenced at the Edo State High Court in Benin City, on 4 Februa...