Nigeria, April 25, 9 participants, Organizer: Center for Democracy and Development (CDD)

Responses from the participants indicated that although there is a Right to Information Law (RTI) in the country, and if used could be effective, a low level of awareness of its existence among the public makes it ineffectual. With respect to the convening of a public forum to elicit citizen inputs into planning and policy formulation, it was generally opined that such is neither mandatory by law nor regularly held.

Nevertheless, there are best practices in the country such as Buji and Onigbongbo local government areas in Jigawa and Lagos States respectively. Also, amidst the overbearing power of national and state governments over local governments, it was stated that more power should be devolved to the tier of government. It should be administratively, politically and fiscally independent, so as to deliver on its core mandate to the local population.

– Yusuf Shamsudeen, CDD