Freedom of information is the right to ask a public body for recorded information it holds, and to receive an answer. It covers the documents, emails, minutes, datasets and recordings that public bodies create in their work. It does not give you a right to an explanation, an opinion or a new piece of research: the body answers from records it already holds, or explains why it cannot release them.
This article explains freedom of information, using the rules in the United States, the United Kingdom and Nigeria as examples: find the right body, describe the records, wait for a reply, and use the review route if the answer disappoints you.
What freedom of information means
A freedom of information law gives the public a right to request access to records held by public bodies. In the United States, the Freedom of Information Act, known as FOIA, has provided that right since 1967, and federal agencies must disclose requested information unless it falls under one of nine exemptions, protecting interests such as personal privacy, national security and law enforcement.
In the United Kingdom, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives a general right of access to recorded information held by public authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while Scotland has its own law, the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The UK Information Commissioner's Office, the ICO, oversees the 2000 Act. In Nigeria, the Freedom of Information Act 2011 gives every person a legally enforceable right of access to records held by government institutions, as well as private bodies that perform public functions or use public funds, subject to certain exceptions.
The key word in all three systems is "recorded". The US FOIA site states plainly that the law does not require agencies to create new records, conduct research, analyse data or answer questions. The House of Commons Library makes the same point for the United Kingdom: any recorded information held at the time of a request can be asked for, including documents, emails, photographs and recordings, and it does not have to be an official document produced by the authority itself.
Who you can ask, and what you can ask for
You ask the body that holds the records. In the United Kingdom, public authorities include government departments, local councils, schools, universities, public health services, publicly owned companies, publicly funded museums and galleries, and the police and fire services, according to the ICO. Members of Parliament are not classed as public authorities under the Act, the House of Commons Library notes.
In the United States, FOIA applies to federal agencies only. It does not cover Congress, the courts, or state or local governments, which have their own public records laws. Each federal agency handles its own records, and there is no central office for every department, so send your request to the agency that holds the records. Nigeria's law is broader: a public institution includes legislative, executive, judicial, administrative and advisory bodies, and private bodies that provide public services or use public funds.
One mix-up is worth clearing up early: freedom of information is not the route for your own personal records. UK guidance points you instead to a subject access request under data protection law, while in the United States a request for records about yourself requires a certification of your identity.
How to write a request that gets an answer
Before you write, search first. Public bodies already publish a great deal: annual reports, policies, datasets and logs of answers to past requests, often called disclosure logs. The ICO suggests checking those sources, because information already in the public domain is quicker to find than to ask for. The US FOIA site gives the same advice.
When you do write, keep it short, specific and easy to follow. In the United Kingdom, a request must be in writing, and must include your name and a contact address, plus a detailed description of the information you want. The House of Commons Library notes that no special form is needed, and you do not even need to mention the 2000 Act. In the United States, the rules are close: the request must be in writing and must reasonably describe the records you seek, most agencies accept requests electronically, and no specific form is required.
Nigeria's law adds flexibility: an application need not be made in writing, although writing is advised, and no specific interest or motive need be shown. An oral application can be made to an authorised official, who must reduce it to writing and give the applicant a copy.
A good request names records, not topics. "All information about road repairs" is hard for a body to answer and easy for it to refuse on cost grounds. "The minutes of the roads committee meeting of 12 March 2026, and the contractor's completion report for the Market Road resurfacing" gives staff something they can search for.
When a body can say no, and how long it takes
Time limits differ sharply between countries. In the United Kingdom, a public authority must comply promptly and in any event not later than the twentieth working day following the date of receipt, under section 10 of the 2000 Act. The ICO treats 20 working days as the latest possible date, not a target, and extra time is possible in limited cases.
Nigeria's time limit is much shorter. The Federal Ministry of Justice states that, under section 4 of the 2011 Act, a public institution must make the information available within 7 days after the application is received, or give written notice that access will not be granted, stating the reasons and the section relied on. An extension of up to 7 further days is allowed in some cases. In the United States, the FOIA site gives no single headline number: agencies typically process requests in the order received, and a simple, targeted request moves faster than a complex one.
Refusals follow a similar pattern everywhere: some information is withheld, some is released in part, and the reason must be given. In the United States, an agency must tell you which of the nine exemptions it is applying, and it will black out, or redact, only the protected parts. The exemptions cover national security, internal rules, information barred by another law, confidential commercial information, privileged internal communications, personal privacy and law enforcement records, among others. In the United Kingdom, exemptions are absolute or qualified: absolute exemptions are not subject to a public interest test, while qualified exemptions require the body to weigh the public interest in disclosure first. A body can also refuse where the cost would exceed £600 for central government and £450 for other authorities, according to GOV.UK, or where a request is repeated or vexatious.
If the answer disappoints you: review, complaint and appeal
A refusal, a partial release or a late reply is not the end of the road. Start with the body itself before going to an outside regulator or court.
In the United Kingdom, GOV.UK advises that if an organisation does not provide the information you requested, you should first ask it to review its decision. If you are still not satisfied, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office, or appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner for Scottish public authorities. The ICO can overrule a body's use of an exemption, the House of Commons Library notes.
In the United States, you may file an administrative appeal if you are not satisfied with an agency's initial response. The FOIA site explains that this is usually a simple letter or email to the agency's designated appeal authority, with no fee, and that an independent review follows. Before appealing, you can contact the agency's FOIA Public Liaison, whose job is to explain the process and help resolve disputes.
In Nigeria, the route is through the courts. The Federal Ministry of Justice states that an applicant who has been denied access, or part of it, may apply to a State High Court or the Federal High Court for review within 30 days after the denial, and the court can order the institution to disclose information that was wrongly denied.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a citizen to make a freedom of information request?
No. In the United States, FOIA.gov states that generally any person, United States citizen or not, can make a FOIA request. In the United Kingdom, the House of Commons Library states that everyone has the right to ask, including non-citizens and people living abroad. In Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Justice states that the Act makes no distinction between citizens and non-citizens.
Does making a request cost money?
Usually very little or nothing. In the United States there is no initial fee, and a typical requester is usually not charged for the first two hours of search or the first 100 pages of duplication. In the United Kingdom most requests are free, apart from a possible small charge for photocopies or postage. In Nigeria, fees are limited to standard duplication and transcription charges.
Can I use freedom of information to get information about myself?
That is the wrong route in the United Kingdom: the ICO and GOV.UK direct requests for your own personal information to a subject access request instead. In the United States, you can request records about yourself under FOIA, but you will need to provide a certification of your identity, such as a statement signed under penalty of perjury, to protect your privacy.
Freedom of information works best as a practical tool, not a test of strength. Search for what is already published, ask the body that holds the records, describe those records in plain detail, and keep a copy of your request and the reply. If the answer is a refusal, read the reason given and use the review route for that country before giving up.
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What to watch next
The rules described here change slowly, but the practice changes faster: more bodies now publish disclosure logs, datasets and open data portals, so a careful search often answers a question without a formal request at all. Check your own country's regulator guidance pages before sending a request rather than relying on an old summary. If you make requests regularly, keeping a simple log of the body, the date sent, the records asked for and the reply date will make any review or appeal far easier to prepare.
Sources
- FOIA.gov — Freedom of Information Act: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) — date checked: 2026-11-04 — https://www.foia.gov/faq.html
- Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — How to access information from a public authority — date checked: 2026-11-04 — https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/official-information/
- House of Commons Library — Making a Freedom of Information request — date checked: 2026-11-04 — https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10711/
- GOV.UK — How to make a freedom of information (FOI) request — date checked: 2026-11-04 — https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/print
- Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigeria — Freedom of Information Act: Frequently Asked Questions — date checked: 2026-11-04 — https://foia.justice.gov.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=127&lang=en
- Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — Time limits for compliance under the Freedom of Information Act (Section 10) — date checked: 2026-11-04 — https://cy.ico.org.uk/for-organisations/foi/freedom-of-information-and-environmental-information-regulations/time-limits-for-compliance-under-the-freedom-of-information-act-section-10/
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