Florence Joshua, Lagos
Civil society organisations, human rights advocates, labour unions, youth groups, researchers, media practitioners have called for stronger collaboration, transparency and accountability to safeguard the civic space in Nigeria to strengthen democratic resilience.
The call was made in Lagos on Monday at the opening of a two-day meeting organised by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Nigeria Office on Fostering a civil society Alliance for the Protection of Fundamental Freedoms and Democratic Resilience in Nigeria.
The event brought together stakeholders in the civil society space to explore collective strategies for defending democratic values amid growing concerns over shrinking civic space.
The opening session focused on understanding the current state of civic space and democratic freedoms in Nigeria, facilitated by the National Coordinator of the Take It Back (TIB) Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu. He led participants in examining emerging trends threatening civic participation, including restrictions on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and civic engagement.
Participants shared experiences from their respective organisations and communities, identifying key challenges affecting democratic participation while highlighting opportunities to amplify citizens’ voices through stronger collaboration.
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the power of narratives in shaping public understanding and mobilising collective action. Participants stressed the need for civil society organisations to tell compelling, people-centred stories that accurately reflect the realities faced by citizens and inspire greater public engagement.
The session also emphasised the importance of transparency and accountability as essential pillars for strengthening democratic institutions and building public trust.
The second session, facilitated by the Chairperson of the Sub-Saharan Youth Committee of Industrial Global Union, Kelvin Ayemhenre focused on building democratic alliances and moving beyond fragmentation towards collective action.
Participants examined the barriers preventing civil society organisations, activists, labour and social movements from working together effectively. They identified ideological differences, generational divides, organisational competition and limited coordination as some of the factors weakening collective advocacy efforts.
Discussions also explored practical ways to build trust and solidarity across diverse groups while fostering sustained collaboration in the defence of fundamental freedoms.
Participants further called for greater investment in developing strategic narratives capable of strengthening alliances, countering anti-democratic tendencies and promoting active citizen participation.
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