NIPC has emerged as the second-best ranked agency among 191 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) assessed at the 2019 National FOI Compliance and Transparency Ranking — a dramatic improvement on earlier results.
The ranking was announced at an unveiling ceremony on 26 September 2019, co-organised by six civil society organisations: Basic Right Watch (BRW), BudgIT, Connected Development (CODE), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), and Right to Know (R2K). Evaluation parameters included proactive disclosure, responsiveness to information requests, level of disclosure, FOI training, timeliness, the existence of a designated FOI Desk Officer, publication, and submission of the statutory annual FOIA compliance report.
The improvement — from 75th in 2017 to 17th in 2018 and 2nd in 2019 — reflects the sustained commitment of NIPC management and staff to proactive disclosure and better governance. This ranking was achieved through internal commitment to continuous improvement, without engagement of any external consultant.
Since 2017, NIPC has updated its website with a dedicated FOI section, trained all staff on FOI obligations, and proactively published information on budgets and financial performance, companies listed under the NIPC Act, procurement records, court cases, and pioneer status applications — all updated quarterly. Management is committed to instilling a culture of full compliance with all statutory obligations.
