The 2025 Transparency and Integrity Index report by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI) paints a troubling picture of governance in Nigeria.
Development Diaries reports that out of 517 federal agencies, only six scored above average, while over 500 performed poorly in the report.
The Nigeria Press Council, the Nigerian Copyright Commission, the Public Complaints Commission, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the Security and economic agencies, the Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, the National Orientation Agency were among the poor performers.
It is understood that at the very bottom were the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and the Nigerian Coal Corporation, all of which scored zero.
This failure is particularly worrying because many of these institutions were created to uphold transparency and accountability.
If key agencies like the police, the Office of the Accountant General, and ministries responsible for finance and public accountability can perform this badly, it raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to open governance.
One of the weakest areas highlighted is citizens’ engagement, as government agencies are mandated to be open to the people, provide information, and create channels where citizens can hold them accountable.
But as seen in an FIJ report, broken websites, outdated registers, and unanswered contact lines show that most agencies shut citizens out instead of inviting them in.
This lack of engagement makes people lose faith in institutions, creating a trust gap between the government and the people. When the people cannot access information or interact meaningfully with agencies, corruption and abuse thrive unchecked.
Transparency also remains a major challenge, with laws like the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and the Public Procurement Act meant to ensure accountability appearing to be ineffective.
The Office of the Accountant General, custodian of the nation’s funds, scored just 7.30 percent, showing how badly financial transparency is being managed.
Similarly, agencies that should lead in integrity, like NEITI, fail to update data even after budgeting for it. Such failures weaken Nigeria’s international reputation and reduce confidence among investors and development partners.
The consequence of these gaps is the steady erosion of trust in governance, as the people perceive government agencies as secretive, wasteful, and uninterested in their needs, which fuels apathy and frustration.
If transparency continues to be treated as a slogan instead of a duty, Nigeria’s democratic gains will remain shallow.
Therefore, Nigerians must insist on functioning websites, up-to-date reports, open procurement records, working complaint channels, and genuine opportunities for engagement.
It is not enough for agencies to exist in name; they must serve. Nigerians should press their lawmakers, regulators, and public officers to act because a government that hides information is a government that hides failure.
