More than 80 Nigerian, African and international Civil Society organisations (CSOs) have called on the National Assembly to immediately withdraw proposed legislation they say threatens civic freedoms, democratic governance and constitutional rights, warning that the measures could accelerate Nigeria’s democratic decline ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The coalition, which includes Amnesty International Nigeria, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Centre for Democracy and Development, Yiaga Africa, BudgIT Foundation, Media Rights Agenda and CLEEN Foundation, raised the alarm during a joint press conference on protecting civic space, constitutional freedoms and democratic governance.
The organisations expressed concern over what they described as the shrinking civic space in Nigeria since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, alleging increased use of restrictive laws, politically motivated prosecutions, arbitrary arrests, intimidation and judicial harassment against journalists, activists, media organisations and civil society groups.
“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,” the coalition stated.
The groups cited the ongoing prosecution of activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore, alleged reprisals against SERAP, the use of the Cybercrimes Act against journalists and critics, and what they described as repeated attempts to intimidate independent media organisations.
They 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.
The coalition singled out the Foreign Aids (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, 2026 (SB.1034) and a separate proposal seeking to compel social media platforms to establish physical offices in Nigeria as particularly dangerous to constitutional freedoms.
According to the organisations, although the Foreign Aids Bill claims to promote transparency and accountability, it would create a broad regulatory regime empowering authorities to monitor, regulate, sanction, suspend and potentially shut down non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations and private entities receiving foreign assistance.
They argued that the proposed Foreign Aid Regulatory Commission would duplicate the responsibilities of existing agencies, including the Corporate Affairs Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, while creating another body with sweeping discretionary powers.
“The Bill establishes a sweeping, duplicative and disproportionate framework that threatens civil society independence, discourages legitimate international cooperation and humanitarian assistance, and interferes with constitutionally protected rights,” the coalition said.
The organisations also faulted provisions requiring recipients of foreign assistance to register with the proposed commission, disclose extensive operational information and align projects with government-defined national priorities, warning that such measures could undermine human rights advocacy, anti-corruption campaigns, election observation, legal aid and public interest litigation.
They equally opposed the proposed legislation compelling social media companies to establish physical offices in Nigeria, arguing that it could expose digital platforms to undue political pressure and censorship.
“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,” they said.
The coalition maintained that both bills violate Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, 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.
The organisations warned that the timing of the proposed legislation was particularly troubling as the country prepares for the 2027 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 coalition said.
It added: “Independent advocacy, investigative journalism and public scrutiny are not threats to democracy; they are essential safeguards of constitutional governance and accountability.”
The coalition stressed that international funding remained critical to the work of many Nigerian civil society organisations.
“International support enables organisations to undertake human rights monitoring, anti-corruption advocacy, humanitarian assistance, legal aid, election observation, public interest litigation and other activities that strengthen constitutional governance. Such support is a legitimate form of international cooperation, not evidence of foreign interference,” it stated.
The organisations 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 proposed legislation on social media platforms and every other pending bill that unjustifiably restricts civic space, media freedom and democratic participation.
They also urged lawmakers to ensure that future legislation complies with the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights obligations, while carrying out meaningful consultations with journalists, civil society organisations, development partners and other stakeholders before enacting reforms affecting civic freedoms.
The coalition concluded that the National Assembly now faced a defining constitutional test.
“The National Assembly now faces a defining constitutional choice. 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.
“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 declared.
