The Chairman of the Governing Board of Global Rights, Professor Chidi Odinkalu has described Civil Society Organisations, (CSOs), as critical stakeholders in promoting human rights, fostering accountability, and ensuring a safe society for all.
Professor Odinkalu disclosed this while speaking at the 2025 Southwest Regional Conference on Improving Regulatory Environment for CSO Operations in Nigeria, with the theme “Scaling Policy to Action-Strengthening the Regulatory Environment for Sustainable CSO Operations in the South West Region”.
The objective of the conference is to establish a regional CSO-regulatory task force to monitor and sustain framework implementation, ensuring consistency and accountability.
It was also put together to advance advocacy for legislative reforms, including a potential Court action to clarify Item 32, Part 1 of the Second Schedule, or its relocation to the Concurrent Legislative List.
Any successful society, according to Professor Odinkalu, must give its members a platform to voice their concerns about social injustices, something that civil society organizations constructively assist in doing.
He also acknowledged the enormous contributions made by CSOs to Nigeria’s socioeconomic growth, noting that all stakeholders are partners in improving society for everyone, which is why cooperation is necessary.
Speaking in his goodwill message, the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Anthony Yaro, who described civil society organizations as agents of significant impacts in promoting good governance and democracy in Nigeria, said the need to strengthen the regulatory environment became imperative in order to align with modern laws and international best practices.
Senator Yaro appreciated the tireless efforts of CSOs in driving positive change in communities in developing countries like Nigeria
“Areas and impacts of CSOs are found so much, and therefore we need Civil Societies integrity, courageous and up and doing, hence the need for the conference. We are policy makers, we will always interact with stakeholders, we take your views and put them into policy form”
In his remarks, the speaker, Oyo state house of assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, represented by Hon. Abiodun Babalola pledged to support actions that would provide an enabling environment for Civil Society organizations to thrive in the state.
The judiciary supports the push to clarify Item 32 in the 1999 constitution and shift it to the Concurrent List, according to Oyo State Chief Judge Justice Iyabo Yerima, who was also represented by Justice M.O. Ishola.
“The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, in its Second Schedule, presents us with the challenge of Item 32. This constitutional ambiguity has, for too long, created a legal grey area that complicates state-level incorporation and fosters a culture of multi-agency regulation that is more burdensome than beneficial.
“The judiciary has a vested interest in clarity and the rule of law. Ambiguity breeds litigation, disputes, and uncertainty-all of which are antithetical to a stable operational environment. Therefore, the advocacy for clarifying Item 32, whether through judicial interpretation or legislative action to move it to the Concurrent List, is a pursuit of legal certainty that the judiciary supports in principle.
Addressing the gathering, Head of Cooperations, European Union Delegation to Nigeria and West Africa Mr. Massimo DE LUCA expressed hope that the outcome of the conference would reflect on better performances of CSOs across Nigeria.
In a presentation of the 2024 state ranking dashboard on Nigerian Civil Society Operational Environment, Mr. Edosa Oviawe from Global Rights listed Sokoto, Zamfara, and Bauchi states as the three states toping the ranking while Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Anambra have the lowest conducive environment to operate.
Contributing, the Co-Chair, Community of Practice on Civic Space Strengthening Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi emphasized the need for more publicity of work done, admonishing civil society organizations to establish mutual relationship with the media to enhance visibility of their activities.
The conference was facilitated by European Union, Global Rights and Community Of Practice On Civil Space Strengthening.
Packaged by Adekunle Adegboyega
