Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for demanding over ₦1.5 billion from a law firm seeking access to the National Register of Voters and the list of polling units under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
MRA described the demand as “an outrageous and unlawful attempt to use cost as a weapon to deny access to vital public information.”
In a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday, MRA’s Executive Director, Edetaen Ojo, said the voter register and polling unit data are among the most essential public records needed by civil society groups, election observers, and the media to monitor Nigeria’s electoral process.
“By placing such a colossal financial barrier before a requester, INEC is deliberately obstructing public scrutiny and avoiding accountability,” Mr Ojo said.
According to MRA, the commission’s letter—dated October 13, 2025, and signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary to INEC—demanded ₦1,505,901,750 as the cost of producing the voter register and polling unit list requested by the law firm of V-C Ottackpukpu & Associates on October 8.
Mr Ojo described the amount as excessive, prohibitive, and a clear violation of the FOI Act, noting that Section 8(1) of the law limits fees to “standard charges for document duplication and transcription.”
“The staggering amount of over ₦1.5 billion cannot be considered a standard duplication fee. It is a deliberate attempt to make public data inaccessible, undermining transparency and democratic accountability,” he said.
Citing the FOI Implementation Guidelines issued by former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), MRA reminded INEC that duplication fees are capped at ₦10 per page.
Mr Ojo added that even with Nigeria’s 93.4 million registered voters and 176,846 polling units, the total cost of duplication could not possibly reach the amount INEC quoted.
He also referenced the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa, which require election management bodies to proactively disclose the voters’ roll during pre-election periods.
“These records are fundamental to electoral transparency and are already digitized. Reproducing them should not cost millions of naira,” he said.
MRA accused INEC of “prioritising bureaucracy and profit over transparency” and warned that the move threatens public trust in the electoral body’s integrity.
“If allowed to stand, this action sets a dangerous precedent. Other agencies could adopt similar tactics to block access to public information, effectively nullifying the purpose of the FOI Act,” Mr Ojo cautioned.
The organisation urged INEC to withdraw the demand immediately and release the requested data free of charge or at a reasonable rate in line with the FOI Act and existing government guidelines.
MRA also called on the commission to reaffirm its commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of Nigeria’s electoral data.
