Knowledge and Utilisation of the Freedom of Information Act Among Journalists in North-Central, Nigeria

Abstract

The crux of the Freedom of Information Act, enacted in Nigeria in 2011, is to promote transparency and openness in governance by granting citizens, including journalists, open access to public information and records. Journalists are required to utilise the Act to perform their duties. But a significant observation since the enactment of the Act in Nigeria is the vagueness of its values among Nigerians, including media men, which raises questions about the Act's potency. Hence, this study assessed the knowledge, use, and challenges associated with the Freedom of Information Act among journalists in North-Central Nigeria, specifically in Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau States. Guided by the libertarian theory of the press, the study employed a mixed-method approach, combining survey and in-depth interviews to gather data. The Findings of the study revealed that a good number of journalists across the three states under study are aware of the FOI Act and reasonably understand its provisions. Still, there is a generally low utilisation of the Act among them. It was also discovered that the majority of the journalists have never used the Act or invoked any of its provisions to seek information from a public institution. The low utilisation of the Act is attributed to difficulties in the application process, hectic bureaucratic and legal processes, safety concerns, and selfcensorship by some journalists. In conclusion, based on the study's outcomes, the gap between the Act's awareness and knowledge and its practical utilisation has affected the potency and effectiveness of the Act in Nigeria.