A coalition of civil society advocates under the umbrella of the Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria (MOTION) has rejected the proposed Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Regulation Bill before the National Assembly, warning that the legislation poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s civic space and democratic freedoms.
In a statement signed by its Convener, Hauwa Mustapha, and Co-Conveners, Christopher Isiguzo and Blessing Alims, the group called on the National Assembly to immediately withdraw the bill, insisting that existing legal frameworks already provide adequate regulation and oversight of civil society organisations.
MOTION argued that Nigeria’s democracy thrives on citizens’ constitutional rights to freely organise, associate and participate in national development, stressing that civil society organisations have remained indispensable partners in humanitarian interventions, education, healthcare delivery, climate action, disaster response, election observation, human rights advocacy, and the promotion of transparency and accountability.
The group warned that the proposed legislation could erode the independence of non-governmental organisations by imposing what it described as unnecessary restrictions on their registration, governance, funding and advocacy activities.
According to the organisation, such provisions could discourage citizen participation, weaken public oversight of government activities and undermine democratic governance.
MOTION maintained that the rights to freedom of expression and association are already guaranteed under Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). It also noted that Nigeria is bound by international human rights instruments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which protect similar freedoms.
The group further argued that NGOs in Nigeria already operate under robust regulatory frameworks, including registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), financial reporting obligations, tax compliance requirements, anti-money laundering regulations and donor accountability mechanisms.
Rather than introducing additional legislation, the organisation urged the Federal Government to strengthen enforcement of existing laws while fostering closer collaboration with civil society organisations in addressing the country’s socio-economic and governance challenges.
MOTION called on the National Assembly to withdraw the bill, embark on broad and transparent consultations with civil society organisations, development partners and the wider public, uphold constitutional guarantees of freedom of association, expression and peaceful assembly, promote an enabling environment for NGOs to operate responsibly, and reinforce existing regulatory systems instead of creating new restrictions.
The group also urged Nigerians to remain vigilant in defending the country’s civic space and to ensure that any legislative reforms strengthen constitutional freedoms, protect the public interest and deepen democratic governance.
The proposed NGO Regulation Bill has reignited debate over the regulation of Nigeria’s civil society sector. Similar legislative attempts in the past were met with widespread opposition from civil society groups, which argued that such measures could restrict civic engagement and democratic participation, while supporters maintained that stronger oversight would enhance transparency, accountability and public confidence in the sector.
