Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly attempting to frustrate a legitimate Freedom of Information (FOI) request by imposing a charge of over N1.5bn for a copy of the voter register and the list of polling units in Nigeria.
In a statement issued in Lagos, MRA’s Executive Director, Edetaen Ojo, described the demand as ” outrageous and unlawful” and “a blatant attempt to weaponize cost as a barrier to access public information,” saying it contradicts both the letter and spirit of the FOI Act.
Ojo said the National Register of Voters and the list of polling units are among the most vital public records required by civil society organizations, political parties, election observers, and the media to effectively monitor electoral processes.
He accused INEC of “deliberately hindering public scrutiny of its operations by placing such a colossal financial burden on information seekers,” arguing that this undermines transparency and accountability.
MRA’s statement was in response to a letter dated October 13, signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary to the Commission, in reply to a Freedom of Information request filed by the law firm of V-C Ottackpukpu & Associates on October 8.
INEC reportedly demanded the payment of N1,505,901,750.00 as the cost of producing the requested documents before releasing them.
Ojo cited Section 8(1) of the FOI Act, which provides that any applicable fee must be limited to standard charges for document duplication or transcription where necessary.
He noted that “N1.5bn cannot possibly constitute a standard duplication charge,” insisting that the demand was a deliberate attempt to deny access to public data.
He recalled that former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had issued implementation guidelines under the FOI Act limiting photocopying, scanning, or printing fees to N10 per page, a standard that INEC’s charge grossly violates.
Ojo further argued that even with the total of 93,469,008 registered voters and 176,846 polling units nationwide, the duplication cost could not legally amount to billions of naira, especially since most of the data is already digitized and centrally stored.
He also referenced the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa, adopted in 2017, which urge electoral bodies to proactively disclose key election-related information, including the voters’ roll, as part of pre-election transparency obligations.
According to him, “INEC’s action not only breaches the FOI Act but also contradicts regional and international standards on electoral transparency.”
Ojo warned that if left unchecked, the Commission’s position could set a dangerous precedent, emboldening other public institutions to impose exorbitant fees that effectively block citizens’ access to information and roll back the progress made under the FOI Act.
He therefore called on INEC to immediately withdraw the N1.5bn fee demand and release the requested information either free of charge, in line with principles of the African Commission, or at a cost strictly consistent with the provisions of the FOI Act and the Attorney-General’s Implementation Guidelines.
“The primary objective of the FOI Act is to make public records and information freely accessible. INEC’s action undermines this principle and threatens public trust in the electoral process,” the group concluded.
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