Kaduna State, Nigeria, has taken a significant step towards strengthening transparency in public infrastructure with the endorsement of a Formal Disclosure Mandate (FDM), establishing a framework for the proactive publication of infrastructure project and contract information. 

Endorsed by Governor Uba Sani on 26 May 2026, the mandate aims to institutionalise disclosure practices across Kaduna State at a time when the absence of a Freedom of Information law has limited the legal basis for proactive access to infrastructure information.  

Responding to persistent challenges including incomplete and difficult-to-understand infrastructure data, declining trust among sector stakeholders, delayed payments and institutional bottlenecks, Kaduna’s Multi-Stakeholder Group – bringing together government, private sector and civil society representatives – recognised that an infrastructure data portal alone was not enough to sustain and expand the publication and use of infrastructure data, and identified the need for a formal framework to mandate publication. 

Under the Formal Disclosure Mandate, procuring entities, including ministries, departments, agencies and local government authorities, will be required to proactively disclose information covering the planning, procurement, contracting, execution and monitoring of infrastructure projects. Publication will follow CoST’s international data standard, helping ensure information is published in a consistent and accessible format. 

Importantly, the mandate goes beyond data publication. It provides a framework for monitoring compliance through the MSG, Independent Reviews and the Infrastructure Transparency Index, allowing stakeholders to assess progress and identify potential risks using published data. It also introduces incentives for transparent entities, including awards, training and performance-based funding, alongside sanctions for non-compliance such as warnings, contract suspension, blacklisting and criminal referrals. 

The reform also strengthens the role of non-government stakeholders in infrastructure oversight. The MSG structure provides civil society, media and private sector representatives with formal roles in monitoring, while public quarterly and annual reporting will create opportunities for continued feedback and engagement. 

Governor Sani’s endorsement sends a strong political signal of Kaduna State’s commitment to transparency and positions the Formal Disclosure Mandate as a potential catalyst for wider governance reform.