The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority is charging N10,000 for access to the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Act (2021), FIJ can report.

This fee is clearly stated on the agency’s official website, requiring anyone who wants a copy of the law governing lottery and gaming operations in the state to pay.

This flies in the face of global best practices on public access to legal information. The Open Government Partnership (OGP), which Nigeria joined in 2016 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, encourages member countries to make laws and regulations easily accessible to citizens.

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According to OGP guidelines, governments should “improve access to information about laws and procedures to enable individuals to identify their legal needs, identify sources of legal advice, and help themselves”. This includes providing legal documents on online platforms without financial barriers.

While many Nigerian government agencies make their enabling statutes freely available on their websites, the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority has chosen to put a price on access. An enabling statute is a legal foundation that empowers an agency to perform its duties and defines the scope of its authority.

When FIJ contacted the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, the agency stood by the fee policy. The head of the Information Technology department justified the charge, saying, “Individuals often pay certain surcharges to access laws in Nigeria.”

Legal experts find the paywall unusual but not illegal. Ridwan Oke, a lawyer and Principal Partner at Iris Attorneys, told FIJ that no laws prohibit agencies from selling legal documents. “Even lawyers sometimes have to buy these law (documents) in court premises,” he said.

Another lawyer, Kelechukwu Uzoka, agreed that government agencies often sell official laws. “It happens quite often. Legislations are printed and sold, particularly when it comes to official gazettes,” he said.

The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Act (2021) is a vital legal framework regulating the state’s lottery and gaming industry. It outlines the licensing process, operational guidelines and mechanisms for enforcement.

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Access to legal information is widely regarded as a pillar of democratic governance. International human rights standards affirm that the public should have free access to laws that affect their rights and obligations.

While Nigeria’s Freedom of Information Act (2011) promotes transparency by granting public access to government-held information, it does not explicitly prohibit agencies from selling legal documents.