90+ CSOs urge National Assembly to reject bills they say threaten democracy and civic freedoms.

A coalition of Nigerian, African and international human rights and civil society organisations has expressed deep concern over a number of pending bills before the National Assembly, warning that their passage would significantly expand executive control over civic activities and erode constitutional freedoms.
At a joint press conference in Abuja, the organisations said the proposed legislations would weaken freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, media freedom, access to information, democratic participation and the rule of law. According to the coalition, the bills are being considered at a time when Nigeria’s civic space is witnessing one of its sharpest declines since the country’s return to democratic governance in 1999.
The coalition alleged that since

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, authorities have increasingly relied on restrictive laws, politically motivated prosecutions, arbitrary arrests, intimidation and judicial harassment against journalists, bloggers, media organisations, civil society groups and human rights defenders. It cited the continued prosecution of activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore, actions against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and the use of the Cybercrimes Act against journalists and government critics. It also referenced a May 2026 report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which documented 91 cases of journalists being arrested, attacked or harassed across 13 states and the Federal Capital Territory during the first three years of the current administration.
According to the organisations, the pending bills represent a coordinated effort to tighten executive control over civil society, independent media and digital platforms while limiting civic participation and public accountability. They warned that the timing is particularly troubling as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, arguing that the measures could create an atmosphere of fear, self-censorship and intolerance of dissent.
The coalition expressed particular concern over the proposed Foreign Aids (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, 2026 (SB.1034), which it said would grant sweeping powers to regulate, monitor, sanction and even shut down non-governmental organisations, civil society groups and private entities receiving foreign assistance. While acknowledging the bill’s stated objectives of promoting transparency and accountability, the organisations argued that it creates an overly broad regulatory framework that could amount to state control of independent organisations.
They further noted that the bill proposes the establishment of a Foreign Aid Regulatory Commission (FARC) with extensive powers to register recipients, conduct inspections, demand information, impose sanctions and enforce compliance with government policies. The coalition maintained that these responsibilities are already covered by existing agencies such as the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), making the proposed commission unnecessary and potentially excessive.
The organisations also criticised provisions requiring all recipients of foreign assistance to register with the proposed commission, comply with extensive disclosure obligations and ensure that foreign-funded projects align with government-defined national development priorities. They argued that such provisions could interfere with legitimate human rights advocacy, anti-corruption campaigns, governance initiatives, humanitarian work and public interest litigation.
In addition, the coalition opposed proposals compelling social media platforms to establish physical offices in Nigeria or risk being prohibited from operating. It argued that such measures would increase government leverage over digital platforms, potentially encouraging censorship, restricting access to information and discouraging investment and innovation.
The coalition maintained that both the Foreign Aids Bill and the proposed social media legislation violate Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, as well as the country’s obligations under regional and international human rights instruments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendation 8.
The organisations stressed that international cooperation remains essential for the work of many Nigerian civil society organisations involved in human rights monitoring, anti-corruption advocacy, humanitarian assistance, legal aid, election observation and public interest litigation. They argued that such support should not be viewed as foreign interference but as legitimate international cooperation that strengthens democratic governance.
The coalition therefore called on the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and all members of the National Assembly to immediately withdraw the Foreign Aids (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, the bill requiring social media platforms to establish physical offices in Nigeria and all other proposed legislations that unjustifiably restrict civic freedoms. It also urged lawmakers to ensure that future legislation complies with the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights standards, undertake meaningful consultations with stakeholders before passing laws affecting civic freedoms, and reaffirm Nigeria’s commitment to constitutional democracy, accountability, transparency, the rule of law and respect for human rights.
The statement was jointly endorsed by more than 90 Nigerian, African and international civil society and human rights organisations, including ActionAid Nigeria, Amnesty International Nigeria, BudgIT Foundation, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Global Rights, Media Rights Agenda, SERAP, Yiaga Africa, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), Zero Corruption Coalition (ZCC) and several others.