Four state-owned media entities, tasked with disseminating information to the public, have all scored zero on responsiveness and information disclosure, ranking near the bottom of the 2024 Freedom of Information (FOI) Index.

The FOI Index, an annual open-source ranking of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Nigeria, is compiled by a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including BudgIT, Public and Private Development Centre, Accountability Lab, Media Rights Agenda, Rights to Know Nigeria and the International Centre for Investigative Reporting.

In the latest ranking, major media agencies such as the National Television Authority (NTA), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria Press Council (NPC) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) performed dismally, placing them among the worst 100 of the 235 agencies ranked.

READ ALSO: REPORT: NBC, Nigeria’s Information Regulatory Agency, Scores 0% on Accessibility —The Worst of 40 MDAs

None of these agencies scored above 10% on key metrics evaluating proactive disclosure, the extent of information shared and overall responsiveness to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.

NTA, for example, ranked 139th out of 235, earning zero points for both responsiveness and level of disclosure. It managed just 9.5 out of 60 points for proactive disclosure.

NAN performed even worse, scoring zero for responsiveness and level of disclosure and pulling in a mere 3 points out of 60 for proactive disclosure, landing it in 223rd on the index.

The Nigeria Press Council fared slightly better than NAN but worse than NTA, securing zero points for disclosure and responsiveness. It scored 5 points out of 60 for proactive disclosure, ranking 208th overall.

FRCN ranked 191st, performing similarly to the NPC. The corporation scored zero for disclosure and responsiveness, managing only 5 points for proactive transparency.

Across the board, only 18 of the 235 agencies ranked performed above 50%, with many lagging behind in transparency. Notably, other information-heavy MDAs also fell short.

The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy Headquarters was ranked 112th, scoring zero for disclosure and responsiveness and just 10 out of 60 for proactive transparency.

The Federal Ministry of Information Headquarters performed even worse, ranking 144th with a proactive disclosure score of 8.5. Voice of Nigeria also pulled low numbers, scoring 8 points for proactive disclosure and zero across all other metrics, landing 146th on the index.

The FOI ranking measures how well MDAs proactively disclose key information and respond to public FOI requests. Points are awarded based on the availability of financial records, staff details, contracts, reports, and organisational structures on MDA websites.

READ ALSO: SPOTTED: NBC’s Website Back but with Wrong Phone Numbers

Faster responses and full disclosure earn higher scores, while delays or failures to respond drag agencies down the rankings. Despite their critical role in public communication, these key news and information agencies’ poor performance exposes gaps in information accessibility in Nigeria.

The Freedom of Information Act of 2011 requires MDAs to make information accessible to the public on request.

The Act mandates public institutions to disclose details such as their financial dealings, policies and decisions. It also sets a strict timeline of seven days for agencies and ministries to respond to information requests made by the public.