The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has raised the alarm over the alleged growing misuse of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act by individuals and faceless groups posing as civil society and non-governmental organisations without any track record, known address, or institutional credibility.

Speaking at a high-level roundtable commemorating 14 years of the FOI Act, held at NEITI House in Abuja, yesterday, NEITI’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, described the trend as “a dangerous weaponisation of a noble democratic law to blackmail, harass, and extort public officials and government institutions.”

“Let there be no mistake: this is not activism; it is sabotage,” Orji declared in his keynote address.

“These fake NGOs and touts parade false identities, file FOI requests under misleading pretences, and then engage in media blackmail and threats to extort money. They have no interest in facts or transparency. Their only mission is extortion. And it must stop,” he said.

A statement signed by NEITI’s Deputy Director of Communications and Stakeholder Management, Chris Ochonu, further quoted Orji as saying that the FOI Act, passed in 2011, remains a landmark law in Nigeria’s democratic journey, safeguarding citizens’ right to know and empowering them to hold government accountable.

He, however, warned that unless urgent measures are taken to safeguard the Act, it risks becoming a tool for intimidation and abuse rather than an instrument of transparency and accountability.

“At NEITI, we have responded to 72 FOI requests in the last decade, operate a dedicated FOI portal, maintain a proactive disclosure platform on our website, publish annual progress reports, hold regular media briefings and stakeholder forums, and submit annual compliance reports.

“Our reports, Beneficial Ownership Register, procurement processes, and implementation data are all proactively disclosed and freely accessible to the public.

“We are currently completing work on the NEITI Data Centre to enhance public access to credible information.

“But these fake NGOs ignore these disclosures and instead resort to threats aimed at coercion and extortion,” he said.

To address this growing menace, NEITI called for urgent legal and institutional reforms.

The agency proposed several recommendations, including: amending the FOI Act to criminalise false claims, blackmail, and identity fraud; establishing an independent oversight and redress mechanism to verify the legitimacy of FOI requests; setting up FOI Units staffed with trained professionals in all MDAs; accelerating implementation of the FOI Act at the state level; and launching civic education campaigns to promote responsible use of the Act.

NEITI also urged all anti-corruption agencies — including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Code of Conduct Bureau — to remain focused on their mandates and resist being distracted by the activities of faceless NGOs and fake CSOs.

Orji stressed the importance of distinguishing between genuine civil society oversight and fraudulent campaigns disguised as activism.

He called on law enforcement agencies, media regulators, and civil society platforms to collaborate in rooting out impostors who threaten the integrity of Nigeria’s accountability ecosystem.

“The FOI Act is not a blackmail licence. It is a promise of truth, openness, and democratic empowerment.

“We must protect that promise from abuse. NEITI will not be intimidated, and we will continue to expose and resist such unethical conduct,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Director of the Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Faith Nwadishi, reaffirmed NEITI’s reputation as a model of proactive disclosure and institutional responsiveness.

“NEITI’s reports are vital instruments of transparency. They guide FOI implementation and provide facts that expose corruption and support accountability,” she stated.

In her remarks, Civil Society Representative on the NEITI Board and National Coordinator of Publish What You Pay, Dr. Erisa Sarki, called for stronger multi-stakeholder vigilance and sustained advocacy to protect the FOI Act.

“We must not allow faceless actors to erode public trust in the FOI. Citizens deserve tools that empower, not harm them. The FOI Act must remain a shield for truth, not a sword for deception,” Sarki said.

NEITI commended the Centre for Transparency Advocacy for its leadership in convening the roundtable, as well as the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, which co-organised the event under the Strengthening Accountability and Governance in Nigeria initiative.

In his remarks, Programme Manager of RoLAC, funded by the European Union, Emmanuel Uche, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democracy and rule of law through initiatives that promote access to information and transparency.

“The FOI Act is central to empowering citizens, ensuring justice, and strengthening governance. RoLAC, with EU support, is proud to partner with NEITI, CTA, and other institutions to promote responsible access and institutional accountability in Nigeria,” Uche stated.

NEITI reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and good governance in Nigeria’s extractive industries and beyond.

The Federal Government has intensified discussions with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to fast-track the implementation of a ¥15bn (about $110m) emergency loan to improve food security across the country.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance and Coordinating Ministry of the Economy on Wednesday after a high-level meeting involving the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; and senior officials from JICA.

“The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, today met with senior representatives of the Japan International Cooperation Agency to advance the implementation of the Food Security Emergency Loan Support Programme,” the ministry said in the statement.

According to the statement, the $110m facility is designed to support Nigeria’s food production systems and build resilience amid persistent global supply challenges and domestic inflationary pressures.

“The JPY 15bn facility (approximately $110m) aims to support Nigeria’s food production systems and enhance resilience amid ongoing global supply challenges,” the ministry added.

With the rainy season already underway, the ministers stressed the urgency of executing key components of the programme to ensure timely support for farmers and rural communities.

“Both ministers emphasised the importance of swift, coordinated action to maximise impact for farmers and rural communities,” it stated.

JICA, in response, reaffirmed its commitment to the programme but requested formal clarification on proposed implementation changes.

“It was agreed that production activities would proceed immediately under the current framework, while other components such as aggregation and financing would be reviewed in line with the original loan terms.

“JICA welcomed the government’s commitment to delivery and requested formal clarification on proposed implementation adjustments.

“It was jointly agreed that core production activities would proceed immediately under the existing framework, while additional components, such as aggregation and financing, would be reviewed in line with the original loan agreement,” the statement read.

This development comes just days after President Bola Tinubu wrote to the National Assembly seeking approval for a fresh external borrowing plan of $21.5bn under the 2025–2026 borrowing framework.

In addition to the $21.5bn request, the President also seeks the legislature’s nod for the ¥15bn loan and a €51m grant to support key development initiatives.

According to the letter submitted to the National Assembly, Tinubu explained that the facilities are aimed at generating employment, promoting skill acquisition, fostering entrepreneurship, reducing poverty, and improving food security.

Meanwhile, data from the Debt Management Office shows that as of December 2024, Nigeria owes JICA $53.31m.This represents 0.88 per cent of the country’s total bilateral debt and 0.12 per cent of Nigeria’s total external debt.

If the new food security loan is approved, Nigeria’s debt to JICA will rise to $163.31m.

As the world marks this year’s World Environment Day, a Research Fellow at the Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management, Rivers State University, Dr. Ibinabo Ogolo, has urged the three tiers of government to initiate, strengthen, and sustain enlightenment campaigns against indiscriminate disposal of plastic wastes

Dr. Ogolo made the call while chatting with newsmen to mark this year’s World Environment Day in Port Harcourt.

She noted that the bane of policy implementations over the years has been the lack of adequate enlightenment to enable citizens to do the needful.

She noted that if government deploys the necessary tools using their various platforms, most of the challenges associated with indiscriminate and improper waste disposal habits would be reduced to the barest minimum

Drawing from the theme of this year’s celebration, which is “Beat Plastic Pollution,”  aimed at raising global awareness about the harmful impacts of plastic wastes on ecosystems, wildlife and human health, Ogolo said governments at all levels in the country have no reason to lack behind on this campaign.

She noted that plastic wastes are very hazardous, especially those from industry or medical sources, which often contain toxic chemicals that are carcinogenic.

She also observed that additives from the plastics released into the environment contaminate the ecosystem and harm wildlife.

The Research Fellow further lamented that the hazardous nature of plastic wastes can lead to breast, ovarian, liver, lung and other hormonal cancers, hence the need for urgent and sustained enlightenment campaigns on what citizens should do about plastic wastes with the aim of reducing those diseases in the society.

She said it was regrettable that in spite of the fact that the issue of global plastic pollution has been on the radar of scientists for roughly 50 years since it was first noticed in the ocean, nothing much has been done to protect the rivers, creeks and riverlets from the harmful invasion of plastic wastes.

Ogolo, therefore, urged governments at all levels not to see the world environment day celebrated every June 5 as a mere ritual but should develop a framework to ensure that these campaigns are sustained to ensure better livelihood for the people.