Frequently Asked Questions on Freedom of Information (FOI) Office
Freedom of Information Office |
Frequently Asked Questions on Freedom of Information In The Central Bank of Nigeria |
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1 |
What is FOI? |
Freedom of Information is an Act that gives one the right to access information from any Public Institution, all companies in which government has a controlling interest, and private companies utilizing public funds, providing public services, or performing public functions (Section 2(7) FoIA, 2011) |
2 |
Who can make a request under the FOIA? |
Any person, group, association or organization can request information under the Act. |
3 |
How do I make a FoI request? |
To get information under the FoIA, request must be in writing, describing the information sought for, and complying with specific institutional requirements. (e.g, name of applicant, address, phone number etc.) |
4 |
Where do I send an FoI request in the CBN |
All FOI requests are to be directed to the Secretary to the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria at the Head Office in Abuja. |
5 |
What can I ask for under the FoIA, 2011? |
You can request any agency record in any format, but the agency is not required to create new records or conduct research in response to your request. |
6 |
Are there time limits for which information requested, must be furnished? |
Yes. |
7 |
Are there any sanctions for non-compliance with the FoI Act, 2011? |
Yes. |
8 |
Will I be charged any fee for making FoIA requests? |
Yes, a fee will be charged to recover the costs of document duplication (Section 8, FoIA 2011) |
9 |
Are all Records releasable under the FoIA? |
No |
10 |
Can an Officer of a public institution be convicted for violation of FoI Act? |
Yes. It is a criminal offense punishable on conviction by the Court with a minimum of 1 year imprisonment for any officer or head of any government or public institution to willfully destroy any records kept in his custody or attempt to doctor or otherwise alter same before they are released to any person, entity or community applying for it (Section 10), FoIA 2011. |
11 |
Does the Oath of Secrecy Act supersede the FOI Act |
No. |
12 |
Can legal action be instituted against a public institution for refusal to release information? |
Yes. |
13 |
Is there a time limit for instituting legal action against a public institution that fails to disclose information |
Yes. |
14 |
Which court has jurisdiction to handle complaints pertaining to FOI requests |
The Federal High Court |
15 |
Are there reports that indicate the number of FoI requests processed in a year? |
Yes. |
16 |
What is the deadline for submitting FoI reports |
On or before the 1st of February annually |
17 |
Can I access the FoI reports of any public institution |
Yes |
Facts : 1/7/1959 |
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Evolution of Departments:At inception, the organisational structure of the CBN was understandably simple consisting of two departments, namely, the General Manager's and the Secretary's Departments, with the appropriate division of labour as then percieved. The General Manager's Department was responsible for all the Department banking, currency issues, debt management and other operational functions of the bank while the Secretary's Department handled the administrative and staff matters, carried out some research into the economic and financial conditions, and collected and analysed relevant statistics for policy formulation. |
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