National Assembly Breaks Silence With Partial Data After AdvoKC Lawsuit

Following a lawsuit filed by the AdvoKC Foundation, a civic tech organization advocating for transparency in Nigeria, the National Assembly has issued a partial response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. While the response, dated March 2, 2026, provides data on the Senate’s activities – 81 plenary sittings and one joint sitting between June 2024 and May 2025 – it avoids answering critical questions regarding the National Assembly’s multi-billion Naira budget and performance.

AdvoKC Foundation representatives state that the response is “glaringly incomplete,” as it fails to provide details on the approved 2023 and 2024 budgets, how funds were utilized, or data regarding the House of Representatives. Specifically, the ₦344.85 billion budget performance remains undisclosed. Habib Sheidu, Project Director at AdvoKC Foundation, criticized the response as an attempt to create an illusion of transparency without substance, questioning whether 81 days of sittings justify such a large allocation.

The Foundation views the partial response as a result of legal pressure but maintains that full compliance is required. The lawsuit remains active as the core request for budget performance reports has not been fulfilled. AdvoKC emphasizes the National Assembly’s own commitment to budget transparency, as outlined in its Legislative Agenda, and will continue to pursue the case in the Federal High Court until full disclosure is achieved.

(Source：Independentng)