The Official Secrets Act of 1962 serves as Nigeria's main legal structure for safeguarding government information, but it is infrequently implemented through criminal charges. The confidentialarticle explores the assertion that the Act is an inactive piece of legislation by tracing its colonial roots, evaluating its main provisions and penalties, and reviewing its usage since independence. It contends that although the Act is regularly used administratively and as a justification for rejecting requests for freedom of information, the discrepancy between its wide application and its scant prosecutorial use leads to legal ambiguity and compromises openness. The study assesses the implications of this dormancy for accountability, journalistic freedom, and national security using legislative analysis, documented examples, and the conflict between the Act and the Freedom of Information Act. It concludes by exploring potential reform strategies, such as implementing a public interest defense and ensuring consistency with both constitutional and international standards