June 13, 2025 In Newsroom By WACSI
Nigeria’s Civil Society Sector Under the Spotlight as WACSI and NNNGO Host National Validation Workshop
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[Abuja, Nigeria – 8 June 2025] – West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) in partnership with the Nigeria Network of NGOs (NNNGO) has convened a National Validation Workshop on the Mapping and Capacity Needs Assessment of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja, Nigeria.
Held on the 4 June 2025, the workshop brought together key stakeholders from across the country to review and validate the findings of a nationwide assessment aimed at strengthening the operational effectiveness, strategic direction, and sustainability of the civil society sector in Nigeria.
The mapping, which forms part of WACSI’s strategic ambition to deepen local ownership and context-led capacity support across West Africa, marks the first of its kind in the country.
The study engaged 693 CSOs across all six geopolitical zones through an extensive online survey and was complemented by 21 key informant interviews with leaders of CSOs, networks, private sector actors, and development partners.
The report explored governance structures, human resource management, programme design and delivery, use of information technology and digital tools, communications, advocacy approaches, funding models, and compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks.
The national workshop served as a critical reflection point for civil society actors to interrogate the preliminary findings, identify gaps, and provide additional insights. The participants commended the study for its breadth and relevance, noting that it accurately captured many of the sector’s persistent challenges, including limited access to funding, inconsistent governance systems, and capacity constraints among small and rural-based organisations.
Participants recommended greater disaggregation of the data to reflect disparities between CSOs operating in urban and rural contexts and called for the inclusion of informal actors and corporate social responsibility (CSR) organisations whose work intersects with development.
Contributions from plenary and group discussions highlighted the need for the recommendations section of the report to be strengthened with clearer, time-bound proposals. Stakeholders urged WACSI and NNNGO to ensure that the proposed interventions are actionable and context-specific.
There were also calls for the mapping exercise to be institutionalised and repeated every two years as a mechanism for tracking progress, identifying emerging trends, and informing strategic investment in the sector.
WACSI’s Head,Policy Influencing and Advocacy and Nigeria Node Lead, Omolara Balogun, reiterated the importance of evidence-led programming. She noted that the mapping process is a critical step towards enhancing WACSI’s ability to deliver tailored support that reflects the diversity and dynamism of Nigerian civil society.
In her words, “This process is not just about validation; it is about creating a strategic blueprint for building a resilient and self-sustaining civil society sector in Nigeria.”
Board Chair of the Nigeria Node of WACSI, Dayo Olaide, who joined virtually, underscored the relevance of the study and stressed the need to consider how organisations in rural settings are often structurally disadvantaged.
He encouraged organisers to contextualise the findings and develop interventions that address these inequalities. Participants further called on WACSI to accompany the final report with a clear roadmap for implementation, including differentiated support for organisations based on their size, location, and maturity levels.
WACSI’s Executive Director, Dr. Nana Afadzinu, commended the collaborative process and reaffirmed the Institute’s long-standing belief that sustainable development is only possible when rooted in local agency and data-driven action.
The workshop concluded with a firm commitment from both WACSI and NNNGO to incorporate all feedback and produce a revised and validated report. The final version will serve as a strategic resource for civil society strengthening efforts in Nigeria and a guiding tool for development partners, networks, and local actors seeking to build more coordinated and impactful civil society responses.
This validation workshop forms part of WACSI’s broader vision to strengthen locally led development and shift power to community-rooted organisations through sustained, evidence-based, and context-driven engagement. The final report is expected to be published later this year.
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