Over 300 Stakeholders Brainstorm In Abuja On Civil Society Regulatory Environment In Nigeria

By Hassan Umar Shallpella

About 300 persons drawn from across Nigeria from the civil society sector, government regulatory agencies, legislators, donors, and other stakeholders have converged in Abuja, to discuss appropriate instruments for regulating Civil Society Organizations’ operations in Nigeria.

The program works to strengthen the capacities of 200 Civil Society Organizers including networks and coalitions in ten states selected across the six geo-political zones in the country.

The States are Adamawa, Borno, Edo, Enugu, the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Kano, Lagos, Plateau, Rivers, and Sokoto.

It also focused on providing a platform for multi-stakeholders dialogue for an improved, effective, and inclusive regulatory environment for the operation of Civil Society organizations in Nigeria.

This work is being implemented across the thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Addressing the participants on Tuesday, the Madam Samuela Isopi, the Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS  represented by the Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Alexandre Borgis Gomes, noted that the conference is timely coming ahead of general elections in Nigeria.

Earlier, the National Programme Manager, ACT program Damilare Babalola said the conference is the first of its kind that brought together key stakeholders to discuss critical issues affecting the organizations to enhance their capacity and generate a perspective of ensuring development in Nigeria.

There were goodwill messages from Lucy Pearson, the Country Director, British Council Nigeria, and Lydia Odeh Chief of Party, USAID-SCALE Programmes among others.

In the same vein, Edosa Oviawe, the Programs Manager, Global Rights Nigeria, who is the Chairman, sub-committee of the conference while briefing newsmen at the venue of the event observed that the lack of a unified body that will regulate the activities of Civil Society Organizations CSOs in Nigeria has often put both regulatory agencies and civil society actors at loggerheads.

Hassan Umar Shallpella of ABC Yola is among the participants.