By Henry Ihimekpen
The Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria, MOTION, has rejected the proposed Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, Regulation Bill before the National Assembly, describing it as a 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 for the immediate withdrawal of the bill. It argued that existing laws already provide adequate oversight of civil society organisations.
MOTION said Nigeria’s democracy depends on citizens’ ability to freely organise, associate and contribute to national development. It noted that civil society organisations have played critical roles in humanitarian response, education, healthcare, climate action, women’s and youth empowerment, disaster relief, election monitoring, human rights advocacy and the promotion of accountability.
The organisation warned that the proposed legislation could undermine the independence of NGOs by introducing what it described as unnecessary restrictions on their registration, governance, funding and advocacy activities.
According to the group, such measures could discourage citizen participation, weaken public accountability and ultimately undermine democratic governance.
MOTION argued that the Nigerian Constitution already guarantees the freedoms of expression and association under Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. It also noted that Nigeria is a signatory to international human rights instruments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protect similar freedoms.
The group further maintained that NGOs in Nigeria are already subject to multiple layers of regulation. These include registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, financial reporting obligations, tax laws, anti-money laundering regulations and donor accountability requirements.
Rather than introducing new legislation, MOTION urged the government to focus on enforcing existing laws and strengthening collaboration with civil society organisations to address the country’s development challenges.
The organisation called on the National Assembly to withdraw the bill, undertake broad and transparent consultations with civil society organisations, development partners and citizens, safeguard constitutional rights to freedom of association, expression and assembly, promote an enabling environment for civil society organisations to operate responsibly, and strengthen existing regulatory frameworks instead of creating additional restrictions.
The statement concluded by urging Nigerians to defend the country’s civic space and ensure that legislative reforms uphold constitutional freedoms, protect the public interest and support democratic governance.
The proposed NGO Regulation Bill has sparked renewed debate over the regulation of Nigeria’s civil society sector. Similar attempts to introduce comprehensive legislation for NGOs have faced strong opposition from civil society groups in the past. Critics argue that such measures could restrict civic engagement and democratic participation, while proponents maintain that greater oversight is necessary to improve transparency and accountability in the sector.
