Intersection of Open Data and Freedom of Information practice in Nigeria

Authors

  • Omenogo Veronica Mejabi University of Ilorin
  • Adesina Lukuman Azeez University of Ilorin
  • Adeyinka Adedoyin University of Ilorin
  • Muhtahir Oluseyi Oloyede University of Ilorin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29379/jedem.v9i1.448

Keywords:

freedom of information, right to information, open data, open budget data, Nigeria

Abstract

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act was enacted in Nigeria in 2011. However, Nigeria has been publishing its national budget online since 2007. This paper presents results from a survey in which several stakeholder groups connected to the online national budget of Nigeria were asked to respond to questions of awareness and use of open data and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. The results show that respondents who were aware of Nigeria’s 2011 FOI Act made the link with open data practice but indicated that citizens were not taking enough advantage of the Act. Also, custodians of data or information were likely to seek ways to avoid meeting such requests. Nevertheless, Nigerians need to be more educated on the key elements of the Act for its proper and adequate utilization or invocation that could impact more positively on open data initiatives in Nigeria.

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Author Biographies

Omenogo Veronica Mejabi, University of Ilorin

Ome Mejabi is a Reader in the Department of Information and Communication Science at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. She works on management and use of ICTs and the design and evaluation of information systems. She is particularly interested in open data institutionalisation and citizen engagement through e-governance.

Adesina Lukuman Azeez, University of Ilorin

Dr. A.L. Adesina is Senior Lecturer in the department of Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. His research interest is in social communication and advertising but he is particularly interested in the role of media in promoting good governance.

Adeyinka Adedoyin, University of Ilorin

Adeyinka Adedoyin is a Lecturer in the Department of Information and Communication Science at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria with special interest in the use of mobile phones to disseminate governance data and also information security.

Muhtahir Oluseyi Oloyede, University of Ilorin

Muhtahir Oloyede is a Lecturer in the Department of Information and Communication Science at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria with special interest in computer security.

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Published

13.12.2017

How to Cite

Mejabi, O. V., Azeez, A. L., Adedoyin, A., & Oloyede, M. O. (2017). Intersection of Open Data and Freedom of Information practice in Nigeria. JeDEM - EJournal of EDemocracy and Open Government, 9(1), 31–51. https://doi.org/10.29379/jedem.v9i1.448

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 1 (2017)

Section

Special Issue: Research Papers

License


JeDEM is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal (ISSN: 2075-9517). All journal content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Austria (CC BY 3.0) License.