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MRA Inducts NIPOST into its ‘FOI Hall of Shame’ for Violating FOI

Media Rights Agenda today named the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) into its “Freedom of Information (FOI) Hall of Shame” for the institution’s failure to comply with its duties and obligations under the FOI Act, thereby violating the public’s right of access to information.
Announcing the induction of NIPOST, MRA said in a statement in Lagos that the institution was in breach of several provisions of the FOI Act, including failing to designate an appropriate official to receive requests for information from members of the public; and failing to publish the title and contact details of such an official as required by the Act and the Implementation Guidelines issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation.
MRA also accused NIPOST of disregarding its statutory obligation to submit annual reports on its implementation of the Act to the Attorney-General of the Federation; failing to proactively publish the categories of information which it is required to publish by the Act, failing to provide appropriate training for its officials on the public’s right of access to information, among others.
NIPOST was established by Act No. 18 of 1987 to provide and operate facilities for the collection, dispatch and distribution of inland and overseas mail at reasonable cost; provide and operate facilities for remittance of money through the money or postal order systems; provide and operate philatelic services in Nigeria; print and provide postage stamps for payment of postage tariff and payment of stamp duties and to represent Nigeria in its relations with other postal administrations and other bodies concerned with postal services.
Sadly, MRA said, despite these very critical information and communication services which the institution is mandated to provide to Nigerians and other members of the public, NIPOST has chosen to conduct its business in secrecy and has consistently violated the provisions of the FOI Act since its enactment in 2011.
Mr. John Gbadamosi, MRA’s Programme Officer, said in the statement: “NIPOST, which used to be a department in the Ministry of Communications, should ordinarily constitute a critical pillar in the effective implementation of the FOI Act and stands to benefit from the existence of the Act if it is able to overcome its institutional shortsightedness, the historical incompetence that has dogged its activities and operations for decades and if its management has the resourcefulness to tailor its services to take advantage of a huge opportunity at the disposal of an institution hurtling into extinction as a result of its increasing irrelevance to the society it was established to serve.”
He noted that in addition to complying with the provisions of the FOI Act, as it is obliged to do under the Law, it is also in the enlightened self-interest of NIPOST to promote the Act and its implementation by other public institutions which would result in additional resources for it.
According to Mr. Gbadamosi, “the services that NIPOST was established to provide make it ideally suited to convey applications for information from members of the public all over the country to public institutions in different parts of Nigeria and similarly serve as the vehicle through which public institutions can deliver their responses to such requesters for information at affordable rates that would make it a preferred option for those who currently have to deliver such applications and responses either by courier or through hand deliveries and dispatches.”
Besides, he said, “the money and postal order systems, which are now virtually moribund, could also be easily revived and could become the most viable instruments for members of the public seeking to make payments to public institutions for requested information, which would provide NIPOST with desperately need revenue streams.”
Mr. Gbadamosi noted that although NIPOST claims to have eliminated the incidence of mail theft, pilfering, tampering and other forms of fraudulent activities as a way of boosting customers’ confidence, there remains a lack of transparency and accountability in the provision of its service to the public, which have largely remained inefficient.”
He accused NIPOST of non-compliance with its obligation under the Law to proactively publish 16 categories of information that it is required to publish by Section 2(3) and (4) of the Act, saying “additionally, there is no indication whatsoever that the institution has designated an official to whom requests for information should be sent while it has also not proactively published the title and address of such an official as the information is not even available on its website.”
Mr. Gbadamosi also pointed out the institution’s failure to comply with its obligation under Section 29 of the Act, which mandates NIPOST, like other public institutions covered by the Act, to submit to the Attorney-General of the Federation, on or before February 1 of each year, a report covering the preceding fiscal year of its implementation of the Act.
He said there was no indication that the NIPOST has provided the appropriate training for its officials on the public’s right of access to information or records held by the Bureau or trained them to effectively implement the Act, as it is required to do by section 13 of the FOI Act.
Mr. Gbadamosi called on the management of the Service to redeem the institution’s image by ensuring that it complies with its duties and obligations under the FOI Act.
MRA launched the “FOI Hall of Shame” on July 3, 2017 to draw attention to public officials and institutions that are undermining the effectiveness of the FOI Act through their actions, inactions, utterances and decisions.
News
NBS May Release Rebased Figures for Nigerian Economy July 11

National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) may launch its rebased Gross Domestic Product figure on July 11, according to reports by the Nation.
In economics, rebasing refers to the process of updating the base year used for calculating economic indicators like Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
This is done to reflect changes in the structure and price levels of an economy, making the indicators more accurate and relevant to the current economic situation.
Folorunso Alesanmi, head of Public Relations, NBS, deferred his response to today (Monday) when asked to confirm the information.
In a terse text message reply to our inquiry, he said “I will reply you on Monday when I get the final information about it.”
Recall that the country changed the year of its GDP from 1990 to 2010 in 2014, when the figure was raised by 89 per cent.
The much awaited July 11 figure is expected to increase economic indicators such as per capita income, debt-to-GDP ratio and tax revenue outlooks.
News
Lagos-Calabar Highway Gets $100M Push from ECOWAS to Drive Regional Growth

ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has committed $100 million to support the development of a key section of Nigeria’s Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
This funding covers a 47.7-kilometre stretch, marking Section I, Phase I of the project, which originates from Ahmadu Bello Way in Lagos.
Work on the highway began in March 2024, with Hitech Construction Company Limited appointed as the main contractor.
The announcement was made during EBID’s 92nd Ordinary Session held in Lagos, where the bank outlined a series of development financing commitments amounting to €174 million and $125 million, targeted at infrastructure and social development across the ECOWAS region.
The investment in the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is designed to boost intra-regional connectivity by linking nine Nigerian states. It will also enhance access to strategic seaports, support agro-industrial development, and improve logistical networks along Nigeria’s southern corridor. The highway is further expected to contribute to the formation of a regional supply chain, economically empowering coastal communities.
“The bank also approved $100 million in funding for the Lagos-Calabar coastal motorway project in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It said that this project, which spans 47.7 km, would link nine Nigerian states and improve access to seaports and isolated agro-industrial areas. EBID noted that the funding would also contribute to the emergence of a regional value chain to support coastal communities.”
Other EBID-backed initiatives include €50 million earmarked for the establishment and outfitting of six technical and vocational education centres in Togo. These centres aim to provide skills training for up to 3,480 youths annually, focusing on high-demand trades.
In Guinea, the bank allocated €28.9 million to revamp four agricultural high schools, and an additional €95.16 million to build three hydroelectric micro-power plants with a combined generation capacity of 30 megawatts, aiming to expand rural access to renewable energy.
Côte d’Ivoire will benefit from a $25 million facility directed at financing clinker imports by Société de Ciment de Côte d’Ivoire—a move expected to support local cement manufacturing and alleviate raw material shortages in the construction sector.
EBID noted that its latest funding initiatives align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 9, which advocates for advancements in industry, innovation, and infrastructure. With these latest disbursements, the bank’s cumulative investment across the West African region has surpassed the $5 billion milestone.
Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, recently disclosed that the Federal Government has signed off on contracts exceeding N3 trillion for multiple sections of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, extending through Lagos, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.
The Lagos segment—Section I—was awarded at N1.068 trillion, with 30 percent of the contract sum already paid.
Section II, which includes multiple bridges and traverses difficult terrain en route to the Dangote Refinery, has been contracted at N1.6 trillion.
Sections III A and III B, covering parts of Akwa Ibom and Cross River, were jointly valued at N1.33 trillion.
President Bola Tinubu officially inaugurated the first completed segment of the coastal highway in May 2025, signalling the project’s steady progress.
News
LG Launches “Radio Optimism” Campaign to Spread “Life’s Good” Through Music

LG Electronics has launched a new brand campaign, “Radio Optimism,” designed to help strengthen meaningful human connections and spread optimism through shared musical experiences.
This initiative aligns with LG’s brand promise, “Life’s Good,” and addresses the growing challenge of forming genuine relationships in a technology-driven world.
The Radio Optimism campaign seeks to counteract the disconnection often felt in an era dominated by superficial interactions, such as likes and comments on social media. By harnessing the power of music, LG aims to foster deeper bonds among individuals, promoting a more fulfilling life.
“As technology advances, meaningful human connections become increasingly vital to enrich our lives. LG continues its commitment to bringing optimism into customers’ daily lives, staying true to our enduring brand promise of ‘Life’s Good,’” said Kim Hyo-eun, head of LG’s Brand Management Division.
This campaign reinforces LG’s commitment to creating enriching experiences in digital spaces where today’s consumers spend significant time. Building on this mission, LG has continuously engaged with younger audiences through participatory campaigns that bring the Life’s Good philosophy to life.
Last year’s “Optimism your feed” campaign leveraged social algorithms to foster positivity on social media. This new initiative specifically seeks to address the paradoxical disconnection in an era of hyper-connectivity.
“One of the most reliable predictors of happiness is having deep and meaningful relationships,” said Jean M. Twenge, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University. “Yet today, many people are spending more time online and less time connecting in person. Social media in particular tends to create shallow relationships rather than the deep connections people need.
“It’s common for people to have hundreds of followers but no one to talk to in real life if they need support. We need to build more meaningful connections with those around us. That might turn around the pronounced decline in happiness that’s occurred over the last decade.”
A new global study* from LG on social connection reveals that 68 percent of people find it harder to make real friends, and a third reported having one or fewer meaningful connections in the past month, with 8 percent experiencing none at all.
Inspired by traditional radio’s unique way of connecting people through music and storytelling, the Radio Optimism campaign transforms this concept into an interactive platform where participants can create and send personalized songs to their loved ones.
Users can easily create new songs using AI-powered tools, which are thoroughly trained on a curated music dataset. These tools interpret user prompts to produce unique musical pieces and generate matching album art, providing an engaging and personalized experience. Once generated, these songs can be sent to recipients to deepen their connection and made available for others to discover worldwide.
According to the survey, nearly 9 in 10 respondents believe that meaningful connections lead to a more optimistic outlook on life. By providing a platform for individuals to express their feelings, this campaign aims to foster deeper connections and help individuals enrich their lives while spreading optimism in their own ways.
The campaign website is available in English and Spanish, with plans to support additional languages in the coming months to enable broader participation. The official website can be found at RadioOptimism.lg.com.
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