A coalition of 31 leading civil society organisations in Nigeria has formally demanded the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the proposed Foreign Aid Bill 2026. The Bill, currently before the National Assembly, has been described as "repressive and unconstitutional" and an "insidious state-sponsored attempt to police empathy, weaponise bureaucracy, and place undue restrictions on the fundamental right of citizens to support and care for one another."
The coalition, which includes Accountability Lab Nigeria and DigiCivic Initiative, expressed concerns that the Bill would criminalise local and global solidarity at a time when Nigerians are struggling with economic hardship and inflation. According to Odeh Friday, Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, "The government did not provide welfare. It cannot ban our charity." The Bill seeks to establish a Foreign Aid Regulatory Commission with powers to register, inspect, audit, sanction and potentially suspend or revoke organisations receiving foreign grants, donations or technical assistance.
The proposed Bill, originally introduced in 2016 by the late Hon. Umar Buba Jibril, has been resurrected and is now sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo. It has passed first and second reading and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Civil Society and Development Partners for legislative review. The coalition argues that the Bill's sweeping definitions would trap local church welfare committees, mosque Zakat distribution networks, hometown development unions, university alumni associations, and informal credit groups.
Mojirayo Ogunlana, Executive Director of DigiCivic Initiative, argued that the proposed Bill duplicates existing laws and adds no regulatory value. Ogunlana pointed out that Nigeria already maintains extensive institutional oversight over not-for-profit organisations, including the Corporate Affairs Commission, EFCC's Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, and Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit. The coalition noted that the state already has strong enforcement powers, including the CAC's power to suspend trustees and appoint interim managers.
AbdulRahman Adebayo, Strategic Lead at Gatefield, raised concerns that requiring foreign-funded projects to align with national development plans would extinguish the autonomy of civil society organisations. He also expressed concerns over the sanctions regime, which could attract up to five years' imprisonment and a minimum fine of ₦5 million for individuals, and a minimum fine of ₦20 million and suspension or revocation of operational licences for organisations.
The coalition described the Bill's central defect as selective transparency, creating a new enforcement regime for foreign-funded organisations while leaving domestic political donations and public-office-holder-linked foundations outside an equivalent disclosure framework. They cited international human rights standards, including UN Human Rights Council Resolutions and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Guidelines on Freedom of Association.
The coalition called on all Nigerian citizens, Church leaders, Islamic clerics, diaspora networks, student unions, market associations, and community associations to reject the Bill, emphasising a shared responsibility to protect civil liberties and solidarity. They argued that the Bill fills no regulatory vacuum and that existing frameworks are sufficient to regulate not-for-profit organisations.
Key points
- The coalition of 31 CSOs demands the immediate withdrawal of the Foreign Aid Bill 2026.
- The Bill has been described as "repressive and unconstitutional" and an attempt to police empathy and restrict citizens' rights.
- The coalition argues that the Bill duplicates existing laws and adds no regulatory value.
