The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the Federal High Court in Lagos over the apex bank’s refusal to disclose detailed information on the disbursement of public funds directly to Nigeria’s 774 local government areas (LGAs).
The suit, filed on behalf of SERAP by its legal counsel, comes in response to the CBN’s failure to comply with a Freedom of Information (FoI) request made by the organization. The request sought detailed records of the amounts disbursed to each LGA from the Federation Account from 2019 to 2024, including dates of payment, specific amounts, and the purpose of the funds.
“Transparency in the allocation and spending of public funds is fundamental to curbing corruption and ensuring accountability at all levels of government,” said Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP’s Deputy Director. “The refusal by the CBN to provide these records undermines the right of Nigerians to know how their resources are being managed and deprives them of the opportunity to demand better governance from local authorities.”
In the suit, SERAP is asking the court to compel the CBN to make the information public, arguing that the bank's continued silence violates both the FoI Act 2011 and constitutional provisions guaranteeing citizens' right to access public records.
The action by SERAP is part of its ongoing efforts to promote fiscal transparency and fight systemic corruption in Nigeria. The organization insists that citizens must be empowered with credible data to hold public officials accountable and to ensure that funds meant for local development are not diverted.