COMMUNIQUE

Issued at the 2024 South-South Regional Conference on Improving Regulatory Environment for CSO Operations
in Nigeria

Calabar,

Cross River State – Nigeria

Cross River State – Nigeria

Background

Global Rights in collaboration with the Community
of Practice (COP) on Civic Space Strengthening and the European

Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS convened

the 2024 South-South Regional Conference on Improving Regulatory Environment for CSO Operations
in Nigeria. The theme of the conference
was “Forging Partnerships for Sustainable Operational Environment for
Non-Profit Sector in Nigeria”. The hybrid event took place in Calabar, the Cross River State capital on the 27^th of June
2024 with over 200 in-person

participants and over 50 virtual participants.

The conference was primarily focused on driving critical conversations among stakeholders on ways of improving the regulatory environment for
the non-profit sector in Nigeria particularly to highlight
the need for the harmonization of the CSO regulatory framework at the subnational levels to address
issues such as the multiplicity of registration requirements with different MDAs. Also, the conference

further sought to facilitate a shared understanding of the opportunities in extant laws that could enhance CSO operations at the subnational level.
The Conference reflected on efforts

to strengthen the civic space and
improve the regulatory environment in
South-South Nigeria, particularly through the project presently implemented by Global Rights in collaboration with the Community of Practice

on Civic Space Strengthening with support from the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and the
ECOWAS.

Participants at the conference:

Acknowledged
the pivotal role CSOs play in our society; agreeing that significant challenges
and overbearing standards mark the landscape in which CSOs operate in Nigeria, particularly the regulatory multiplicity and registration requirements. They agreed to leverage a multi-sectoral

stakeholder engagement approach in facilitating a model framework
for improving the regulatory environment for CSO operations in Nigeria.

Reckoned sustained support of the European Union
Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS and commended

the efforts of Global Rights

and the Community of Practice

(COP) on Civic Space
Strengthening and sustaining conversations
to promote an improved regulatory environment for CSOs in Nigeria.
Underscored the need for the harmonization of regulatory frameworks at the subnational level.
The pivotal role of the legislature in facilitating an improved regulatory environment for CSO operation in Nigeria.

Furthermore, the conference recognize

The importance of forging partnerships between the Arms of government and civil society
organizations in strengthening the ethos of democracy in Nigeria.
That the
multiplicity of registration requirements serves as a major bottleneck to the
operation of CSOs, especially at subnational levels.

The imperativeness of improving CSO regulatory framework through effective policy

and legislations
That the convergence
of processes for registration eliminates multiplicity, reducing costs
and enhancing accountability and transparency. This partnership will
further infer trust, confidence, and credibility on the State.
The imperative of co-creating regulatory framework with inputs of civil society organizations.

That the Constitutional right to freedom of association lies central to the efforts of CSOs to improve

their ability to operate in Nigeria.

●

The limitation CSOs registered at the subnational level face in accessing funds and attracting

recognition from financial institutions.

●

That CSOs in the South-South region face the particular challenge of accessing government

offices to obtain relevant documents necessary for obtaining funding.

●

The challenges

posed by inadequate resources and funding of the CSO sector.

●

The lack of institutionalized framework for
coordination of CSO interventions at the subnational level.

●

The recent and
developing practice of excluding State
and Local Government registered CSOs from access to

bank accounts and, by
implication, other financial services. This
is a result of SCUML’s decision to discontinue its
onboarding/issuing of SCUML’s certificate to State/Local Government registered CSOs.

Conference

Resolutions

Having acknowledged the value CSOs bring and the role they play in fostering democracy, promoting

social justice, driving development and facilitating social change, and recognizing the overbearing

standards and regulatory bottlenecks that hinder the effective operation of CSOs, the conference

resolved as follows:

1)

The governments including the executive, legislature, and judiciary in the south-south region

will work in harmony with the civil
society organizations to adopt a regulatory framework that allows a single MDA

to register CSOs
in the States – such a model will promote the accessibility needed for improving

the regulatory environment for CSO operations.

2)

All stakeholders including the regulators, CSOs, legislature, and donor agencies commit to drive the process of developing a model harmonization policy or law for CSO registration
requirements at the state level
with input from all relevant stakeholders which will not only enhance
the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the sector but also provide opportunity to the state government to coordinate CSOs interventions within the state better.

3)

To promote

holistic inclusion in efforts to improve the regulatory environment for CSOs including paying attention to key actors, gender,
disability and other parameters

for inclusion including

access to bank accounts and other financial services by State/Local Government

registered CSOs).

Conference

Recommendations

The Conference consequently proffered the following recommendations:

1.

A mutually beneficial relationship between the arms and three tiers of government with civil society organizations playing pivotal roles in national development.

2.

Harmonizing regulatory
compliance requirements and identifying
a unanimously agreed single body responsible for registering CSOs in the State to avoid multiplicity of registration and
regulations.

3.

Improved collaboration between the State and CSOs to foster the implementation of their
plans and programs,

including financing CSOs.

4.

Enhanced collaboration between

the State and CSOs to drive the process of developing a model

framework that would

improve the regulatory environment for CSO operations in Nigeria.

5.

Deemphasizing

the multiplicity of registration requirements within the State,

to ensure accessibility, centralization, and simpler
regulatory compliance

requirements.

6.

The legislature should

work in concert with the office of the Commissioner of Justice to propose a bill to confer body corporate to organizations registered at the state and local government
levels based on the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the judicial precedent
set by the Court of Appeal and the principle of federalism operating in Nigeria.

7.

An amendment to the Constitution to remove the ambiguity of Item 32 Part 1 of the second

schedule. The focus

on Item 32 should be examined through

this lens to ensure simpler registration and regulatory requirements for CSO operations.

Conclusion

The 2024 South-South Regional Conference on Improving Regulatory Environment for CSO Operations

in Nigeria was a great opportunity for continued engagements between the
various arms of government, donor communities, the private sector, and Civil Society Organizations. The conference

allowed the stakeholders to define a model for facilitating enhanced

collaboration between the regulators, policy/lawmakers, and CSOs.

It is expected that if adopted, it will lessen

the burden associated

with compliance. The Conference gave all stakeholders the opportunity to discuss their concerns

and proffer sustainable
solutions to improving the regulatory framework for a
sustained CSO operational environment.

The participants at the 2024 South-South Regional Conference on Improving Regulatory Environment

for CSO Operations in Nigeria, outlined

in this communiqué the need to improve

the regulatory environment for CSO operations in Nigeria.

Conference Participants

The conference served as a
convergence point, bringing together an array of stakeholders,
including civil society organizations, government representatives
including the office of the Governor of Cross River, Office of the Chief Judge of Cross
River State, Office of the Secretary to the Cross
River State Government, Office of the First Lady of Cross River State, the Clerk of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Cross River State House Committee on Due Process, Anti-Corruption, International Donor Support,

and SDGs, Cross River
State Ministry of Women Affairs, Akwa Ibom
State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare,

Cross River State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs,

Cross River State Ministry of Social Welfare and
Development, Cross River State Ministry of International Donor Coordination, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), House of Representative Committee on Civil Society

Organizations and Development Matters, and donor agencies including the European Union Commission and Ford Foundation.

Civil Society Organizations and Networks that participated in the south-south regional conference
include:

1.

African Child Initiative

2.

African Potential Developers Initiative

3.

Arc Initiative Africa

4.

Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative

5.

Advocates of Peace, Nature and Gender Justice (APNAG)

6.

Akwamfon
Sustainable Community

Association

7.

Alive for Health and Progress Initiative

8.

Atycare Initiative

9.

A Well-informed Adolescent Initiative

10.

Sustainable Movement for Equity

11.

Basic Foundation for Socio-Economic
Development of Rural Women and Youths

12.

BenCare Foundation

13.

Behind Bars Human Rights Foundation

14.

Bestway Initiative

for Health Education and Self-sufficiency

15.

Biakwan Light Green Initiative

16.

Biodiversity Rescue Club

17.

Breaking

Barriers Against Persons with Disabilities and Women

18.

Centre for Creative

Development Strategies (CCDS)

19.

Center for Development Support Initiatives (CEDSI)

20.

Centre for Justice

Empowerment and Development

21.

Centre for Healthworks, Development and Research Initiative (CHEDRES)

22.

Centre for Peace
Education and Community

Development

23.

Child Protection

Network (CPN) Nigeria, Cross River State

24.

Citizen Community Aid and Development initiative

25.

Citizen Solution Network

26.

Civil Society National Self-Regulation Council (CNSRC)

27.

Clean Technology

Hub

28.

CLEEN Foundation

29.

Coalition

of Youth Advocates on Electioneering in Nigeria

30.

Community of Practice on Civic Space Strengthening

31.

Community Resource Development Foundation (CREDEF)

32.

COMPPART

Foundation for Justice and Peace Building

33.

Connected

Advocacy

34.

Cross River State Civil Society Network

35.

CSO Accountability and Transparency Initiative (CATI)

36.

Development Research and Synergy Initiative

37.

Ebase Sam Foundation

38.

Edem Children Foundation (ECF)

39.

Egbema

Clean and Green Initiative

40.

Emerging

Gender Plus Outreach Team (EGOT)

41.

Environmental Development Initiative (EDI)

42.

FACICP Disability Plus

43.

Fringe Voices Development Foundation

44.

Frontier

for Peace Advocacy and Governance Initiative

45.

Forther

Girls Empowerment organization

46.

Gender and Development Action

47.

Girls Power Initiative (GPI) Calabar

48.

Global Rights

49.

Go Learners

50.

Great Step Initiative

51.

Green Concern for Development

52.

Green Hands International for Health Development

53.

Greenlife Organization

54.

Green Vision for Community

Development Initiative

55.

Habitat Protection

and Sustainable Development Initiative

56.

Hazethal

Women Foundation (HWF)

57.

Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF)

58.

Hope Ability

Empowerment Initiative

59.

Hope for Coastal Women Empowerment Initiative

60.

IBDN

61.

Initiative

for Community Development (ICD)

62.

Initiative for Contemporary Rights

63.

Jeksume Foundation Nigeria

64.

Justice Development

and Peace Caritas, Calabar

65.

Lawrence

Igbudu Foundation

66.

League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV)

67.

Lekah Development Foundation

68.

Lemu Charity Foundation

69.

Life Assurance

for Future Initiative

70.

Life Empowerment Foundation

71.

Lighthope

Succor Worldwide initiative

72.

Liman Iwara Foundation

(LIFO)

73.

LITE-Africa

74.

MAAG Africa

75.

Milestone

Initiative for Human Rights and Empowerment

76.

MIND Initiative

77.

Mirabel

Centre

78.

Neighbourhood Environment Watch (NEW) Foundation

79.

New Nigeria

Foundation

80.

Noble Classic

81.

Ofure Centre for Peace and Development

82.

Omoye Women and Youth Foundation