The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Federal Government to release detailed records on gas flaring activities by oil and gas companies between 2015 and 2020, following a lawsuit filed by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda  Resource Centre.

In his judgment on Suit No. FHC/L/CS/251/2021, Justice Ayokunle Faji granted an order of mandamus compelling the President and the Minister of Finance to disclose key information.

This includes the names of companies involved in gas flaring, volumes flared, penalties imposed, and actual payments made.

The court’s decision came after repeated Freedom of Information requests submitted by HEDA were ignored by relevant government ministries.

Despite objections from the respondents, the court held that the application had merit and reaffirmed the legal duty of public institutions to provide access to environmental information under Nigerian law.

Reacting to the ruling, HEDA Chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, hailed the judgment as a major step forward for transparency, environmental justice, and civic accountability.

“This is a precedent-setting judgment. It affirms the power of civic engagement and the judiciary’s role in safeguarding environmental rights,” Suraju said.

“With this ruling, the government is now compelled to be transparent about the operations of oil and gas companies and the true environmental cost of their activities.”

Suraju added that HEDA would ensure full enforcement of the court’s order and continue advocating for gas flaring penalties to be channeled into climate adaptation and development efforts—especially in communities directly affected by pollution.

The organisation also called on civil society, the media, and international stakeholders to join the broader campaign for transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s extractive sector.

HEDA emphasised that the judgment underscores the critical role of the judiciary in enforcing transparency when administrative silence has failed to serve the public interest.