By Michael Oche
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s civil society sector have called for clearer laws, guidelines and accessible regulatory information to help civil society organisations (CSOs) navigate the country’s increasingly complex civic space.
The call was made at a Scoping and Experience-Sharing Session organised by the LEGIS360 Centre for Advocacy, Development and Public Enlightenment Initiative in Abuja as part of its project, “Know the Law, Stay Safe: Strengthening CSO Legislative Literacy and Digital Resilience Against Restrictive Frameworks in Nigeria.”
The meeting brought together representatives of civil society organisations, activists, journalists, human rights defenders, community-based organisations and legal practitioners to examine the legal and regulatory environment affecting civic action in Nigeria.
Participants shared experiences of navigating laws, regulations and administrative requirements governing their activities, highlighting the challenges posed by the volume and complexity of applicable rules.
In a communique signed by Legis360 founder, Samuel Folorunsho, the meeting also pointed to difficulties in accessing clear and reliable information on what organisations are required to do to remain compliant, with smaller and grassroots organisations identified as particularly affected because of their limited access to legal and compliance support.
According to the communique, the discussions examined provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, the Cybercrimes Act 2024, as well as emerging proposals relating to the regulation of non-governmental organisations.
Beyond identifying the challenges, participants discussed the practical information and tools CSOs need to better understand and comply with the regulatory environment.
They identified knowledge gaps to be addressed through LEGIS360’s forthcoming Legislative Literacy Guide on Civic Space Restrictions in Nigeria.
“Participants also proposed the creation of a one-stop regulatory resource consolidating relevant compliance requirements across different legal and regulatory frameworks,” the communique read in part.
According to the participants, such a resource would help reduce the administrative burden on CSOs and make it easier for organisations to understand and meet their legal obligations without having to rely on multiple, scattered sources of information.
LEGIS360 founder said the insights gathered from the session would inform the scope, structure and content of its Legislative Literacy Guide to ensure that it responds to the practical challenges faced by civic actors.
He said the project forms part of its broader efforts to strengthen informed civic participation, institutional accountability and democratic resilience by making legal and legislative information more accessible to citizens and civil society actors.
He added that consultations with stakeholders across Nigeria’s civic space would continue in the coming months, with the engagements expected to contribute to the development of practical tools aimed at strengthening legislative literacy, regulatory compliance and digital resilience among CSOs and community-based organisations.
