Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A coalition of 71 Nigerian, African and international civil society and human rights organisations has issued a stark warning that Nigeria's democracy is facing a critical moment, urging the National Assembly to immediately withdraw pending bills which they say threaten civic space, constitutional freedoms and democratic governance ahead of the 2027 general elections. The coalition, which includes Amnesty International Nigeria, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), ActionAid Nigeria, BudgIT Foundation, Yiaga Africa, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Media Rights Agenda, CLEEN Foundation and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), among others, is expected to present its position at a joint press conference in Abuja on Monday, August 3, 2026.
In a joint statement titled "Nigeria's Democracy at a Crossroads: A Joint Civil Society Press Conference on Protecting Civic Space, Constitutional Freedoms and Democratic Governance," the organisations expressed alarm over what they described as an escalating assault on civic freedoms in Nigeria. According to the coalition, the proposed legislation is being considered at a period when civic space in Nigeria has experienced one of its most significant declines since the country's return to democratic rule in 1999. "We, the undersigned Nigerian, African and international human rights organisations and civil society organisations, are gravely concerned by the growing number of restrictive and repressive bills currently before Nigeria's National Assembly," the statement said. "If enacted, these bills would significantly expand executive control over civic life and further undermine the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, freedom of association, media freedom, access to information, democratic participation and the rule of law."
The organisations alleged that since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, authorities have increasingly relied on restrictive laws, politically motivated prosecutions, arbitrary arrests, judicial harassment and intimidation against journalists, bloggers, media organisations, human rights defenders and civil society groups. They cited the continued prosecution of activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore, alleged reprisals against SERAP, the use of the Cybercrimes Act against journalists and government critics, and what they described as repeated attempts to intimidate independent media and civil society organisations. The coalition also referred to findings by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which it said documented 91 cases of journalists being arrested, attacked or otherwise harassed across 13 states and the Federal Capital Territory during the first three years of the current administration.
The organisations argued that the pending bills form part of a broader pattern of democratic backsliding rather than isolated legislative proposals. "In the context of the broader pattern of repression and authoritarian practices in Nigeria, the pending bills are not isolated legislative initiatives. Rather, they represent an increasingly coordinated legislative effort to expand executive control over civil society, independent media and digital spaces while curtailing civic participation, public scrutiny and democratic accountability," they said. Expressing concern over the timing of the proposals, the coalition warned that they could undermine democratic participation as the country prepares for the next general elections. "The timing of these proposals is particularly concerning as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections. Rather than creating an open environment where citizens, journalists, civil society organisations and political actors can participate freely, these measures risk entrenching fear, self-censorship and intolerance of dissent," the statement said.
Among the bills drawing the coalition's strongest criticism is the Foreign Aids (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, 2026 (SB.1034), which the organisations said would grant sweeping powers to regulate, sanction, suspend and potentially shut down non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations and private entities receiving foreign assistance. While acknowledging that the bill seeks to promote transparency and accountability, the coalition argued that it creates an overly broad regulatory framework that could subject independent organisations to executive control. According to the statement, the proposed legislation would establish a Foreign Aid Regulatory Commission with powers to register recipients of foreign assistance, demand information, conduct inspections and audits, impose sanctions and enforce compliance with government-defined national policies. The organisations argued that these functions are already performed by existing institutions, including the Corporate Affairs Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering, making the proposed commission unnecessary.
The coalition also raised concerns over provisions requiring recipients of foreign assistance to register with the commission, comply with extensive disclosure requirements and align foreign-funded projects with government-defined development priorities, warning that such measures could interfere with legitimate human rights advocacy, anti-corruption work, governance programmes and public interest litigation. The coalition similarly criticised proposed legislation requiring social media platforms to establish physical offices in Nigeria or risk being prohibited from operating in the country. According to the organisations, such measures would significantly increase governmental leverage over digital platforms that serve as major channels for public debate and access to information. "Conditioning access to Nigeria's digital market on physical establishment, backed by the threat of prohibition, is neither necessary nor proportionate to any legitimate regulatory objective," the civil society groups said. "Such measures risk facilitating censorship, restricting access to information, discouraging innovation and investment, and encouraging private companies to prioritise political pressure over internationally recognised human rights standards."
The coalition maintained that both bills violate constitutional protections as well as Nigeria's obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other international human rights instruments. Calling for urgent legislative action, the organisations urged the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and members of both chambers to withdraw the Foreign Aids (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, the bill requiring social media platforms to establish physical offices in Nigeria and "all other pending bills that unjustifiably restrict civic space, the rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, media freedom, access to information and democratic participation."
They also called on lawmakers to ensure that future legislation affecting civil society, media freedom and digital rights complies with Nigeria's Constitution and international human rights obligations, while demanding meaningful consultations with journalists, civil society organisations, digital rights advocates and other stakeholders before introducing reforms affecting civic freedoms. The coalition concluded by describing the current moment as a defining test of Nigeria's democratic future. "The National Assembly now faces a defining constitutional choice," the CSOs said. "It can enact legislation that expands executive control, shrinks civic space and accelerates democratic decline, or it can uphold the Nigerian Constitution, honour Nigeria's binding regional and international human rights obligations, and reaffirm the country's commitment to democratic governance, accountability and the rule of law." The organisations added: "We urge the National Assembly to reject these repressive bills in their entirety and instead enact legislation that protects civic space, strengthens transparency and accountability, promotes meaningful public participation, and reinforces the constitutional and democratic values on which Nigeria's future depends."
The coalition has reiterated that Nigeria has repeatedly committed before the African Union, ECOWAS, the United Nations and other international bodies to uphold democracy, human rights and the rule of law. "The National Assembly therefore has a constitutional and international legal responsibility to strengthen—not weaken—the protections that safeguard civic space and democratic governance," the statement added. As the 2027 general elections draw closer, the organisations have warned that the passage of these bills could create an atmosphere of fear, self-censorship and intolerance of dissent, thereby undermining free political participation. The coalition insisted that democracy cannot thrive where journalists, civil society organisations and citizens are prevented from speaking freely or holding public officials accountable.
The coalition's warning comes at a time when Nigeria's civic space has experienced what they described as one of its most significant declines since the country's return to democratic rule in 1999. The organisations have made it clear that they will not remain silent in the face of what they perceive as a coordinated legislative assault on constitutional freedoms. The National Assembly now faces a defining choice that will determine the trajectory of Nigeria's democracy for years to come. The coalition has urged lawmakers to reject the repressive bills in their entirety and instead enact legislation that protects civic space, strengthens transparency and accountability, promotes meaningful public participation, and reinforces the constitutional and democratic values on which Nigeria's future depends.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments