By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Self-regulation and institutional accountability took centre stage of discourse in Enugu State as the Ethics and Good Leadership Awareness Initiative (EGLAI), with support from the European Union-funded CSO Strengthening Bridge Project (EU CSO Bridge), implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), convened a two-day zonal capacity-building workshop for civil society organisation champions drawn from the five South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.
The interactive workshop, themed “Scaling the Adoption of Self-Regulation in Nigeria: Zonal Capacity Building for CSO Champions and Sub-national Network Leads,” brought together representatives of diverse civil society organisations across the region for intensive learning, peer engagement and practical planning sessions aimed at strengthening governance, transparency and sustainability within the civic space.
It also saw the participants, at the end of the training, develop detailed, state-specific action plans outlining step-by-step strategies for cascading the knowledge gained to other CSOs, community-based groups and relevant stakeholders in their respective states, with a view to deepening the adoption of self-regulation principles at both state and grassroots levels.
Speaking with journalists at the event, the Team Lead of EGLAI, Dr. Harry Udoh, explained that the push for civil society self-regulation in Nigeria did not begin recently but was the outcome of years of reflection, engagement and collective learning within the sector. According to him, the drive was rooted in the long-standing aspiration to build a vibrant, transparent and accountable civil society ecosystem capable of delivering effectively on its mandates while retaining public trust.
He noted that the European Union’s continued support, beginning with earlier initiatives and later reinforced through the EU CSO Bridge Project, was aimed at strengthening CSO governance structures and operational systems, particularly in the face of growing legislative and regulatory pressures that often failed to adequately reflect the realities of civic engagement.
Dr. Udoh recalled that at various points, attempts were made to introduce laws that, though sometimes well-intentioned, risked constricting civic space due to limited understanding of the civil society ecosystem. He stressed that such developments made it necessary for CSOs to look inward, acknowledge internal shortcomings and collectively establish minimum standards of conduct that align with both national laws and global best practices.
Speaking further, he explained that this introspection led to the development of the Nigerian CSO Self-Regulation Framework, which originally comprised multiple modalities designed to guide civil society governance and operations. However, following subsequent reviews in 2023 and 2024, stakeholders agreed to adopt a more streamlined hybrid approach combining code of conduct, self-assessment mechanisms and working group information systems to enable effective monitoring, evaluation and compliance.
According to him, adherence to these principles not only enhances organisational efficiency, transparency and sustainability, but also helps CSOs respond appropriately to statutory oversight from bodies such as the Corporate Affairs Commission, the Federal Inland Revenue Service and other relevant regulatory agencies.
Dr. Udoh acknowledged that while progress had been made, the pace of adoption remained slower than desired, thereby prompting the identification and training of CSO champions who would drive the process at sub-national levels. He expressed optimism that before the end of the year, a significantly higher number of CSOs would have embraced self-regulation, thereby strengthening credibility with donors, regulators and the public.
He further identified limited reach and low organisational capacity as key challenges confronting the sector, noting that many CSOs, including village unions, youth groups and women’s associations, often operate informally with strong passion but weak institutional structures. He stressed that building capacity among such groups would result in more impactful, resilient and community-responsive organisations.
Dr. Udoh also highlighted the role of EGLAI’s CSO Atlas platform as a future hub for collaboration, learning and resource sharing once fully operational, describing it as a practical tool for guiding CSOs on governance processes, compliance requirements and leadership best practices.
On the broader civic environment, he described Nigeria’s civic space as both resilient and challenged, noting that while restrictive tendencies exist, civil society organisations have historically played critical roles in nation-building, advocacy, service delivery and social development, often filling gaps where government presence is limited.
When asked about the new tax law and how it affects the CSOs, he assured that another program would soon be organized to that effect. He further also emphasized the need to educate CSOs on tax compliance and statutory obligations, clarifying that while organisations may be non-profit, their staff, contracts and transactions are still subject to applicable tax laws, ignorance of which often places organisations in unintentional default.
Dr. Udoh disclosed that over 1,000 CSOs had already indicated interest in adopting the self-regulation framework, expressing confidence that the number would rise significantly following the zonal trainings and subsequent state-level engagements; even as he charged the participants to transcend the knowledge garnered down to other CSOs and stakeholders in their respective states.
Earlier, addressing participants virtually, the Programme Manager of the EU CSO Strengthening Bridge Project, Idem Udoekong, urged CSOs to embrace self-regulation as a tool for internal integrity rather than as a means of impressing donors. He charged participants to prioritise staff management, organisational learning and ethical leadership while preparing for forthcoming corporate governance trainings.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Anambra State Civil Society Network, Prince Chris Azor, described the self-regulation initiative as timely and long overdue, noting that other professions had long established internal disciplinary mechanisms. He said the framework would make it easier for CSOs to ensure compliance with both internal standards and external regulations while expanding civic space and protecting organisations from arbitrary restrictions.
He recounted instances where organisations faced operational disruptions due to regulatory compliance issues, stressing that the framework provides an inclusive pathway for both registered and informal community groups to operate with integrity and legitimacy.
When asked what next for the Anambra State Civil Society Network, Prince Azor said the Anambra CSO champions would not waste any time in bringing all the relevant stakeholders together, as well as expanding and implementing the action plan drafted at the event by participants from Anambra.
“What we want to do is as important as having started it yesterday. So we’re not going to waste any time. We’re going to bring everybody, every stakeholder is important as well.
“We’ve got the action plan, we’re going to expand it further. So we go out there to map and engage all the relevant stakeholders; and every hand must be on deck for us to deliver. We have a lot of work to do. So as we are going back, we get cracking immediately. It is a win-win situation, like I said. It will bring more people into the space,” he concluded.
On his own part, the Programme Officer of EGLAI, Shiiwua Mnenga, explained that the workshop was designed as a training-of-champions model to equip participants with the knowledge and tools required to drive grassroots adoption of self-regulation across the country. He disclosed that following the South-East training, similar engagements would be held in other geopolitical zones including the North-West, South-West, North-East, South-South and North-Central regions.
Contributing, the Monitoring and Evaluation and Communications Officer of EGLAI, Elizabeth Okwori, said the training focused on helping CSOs evaluate their own practices, improve transparency and build trust with stakeholders. She added that, among others, participants were expected to return to their states to establish functional working groups, raise awareness and monitor implementation, while EGLAI would continue to provide follow-up support and oversight.
Sharing their thoughts and experiences, participants at the workshop expressed satisfaction with the depth and relevance of the sessions.
In an interview with this reporter, the Secretary of Bernard Otubo International Foundation (BOIF), Miss Vivian Otubo Uchechi from Ebonyi State, described the engagement as fully-loaded and eye-opening, noting that it reinforced the need for CSOs to align their operations with ethical standards, transparency and community accountability. She pledged to immediately begin reviewing internal structures within her organisation and to sensitise other CSOs upon return.
Similarly, the Board Chairman of HER-CREED Foundation, Dr. Nweli Ifeanyichukwu, described the workshop as critical to repositioning civil society in the South-East and Nigeria at large. He observed that weak CSO performance in the region had contributed to poor governance outcomes, stressing that effective self-regulation would empower CSOs to hold governments accountable and reclaim their role as drivers of democratic development.
Among others, the well-structured teachings by the facilitators, the highly-engaging interactive, as well as the drafting and presentation of the action plan by each state’s representatives and CSO champions, formed the highpoints of the event.
More photos from the event:
