President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting civic space and strengthening collaboration with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as strategic partners in governance, declaring that Nigeria is moving from difficult reforms to shared prosperity.
Tinubu stated this while addressing the 2026 National Civil Society Organisations Summit held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, with the theme, “Nigeria First and National Development.”
The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, described the summit as a strategic reaffirmation of the social contract between the government and the people.
He commended the contributions of civil society to Nigeria’s democratic development, noting that CSOs had, over the years, remained the conscience of the nation by giving voice to vulnerable groups and connecting government policies with grassroots realities.
Tinubu particularly acknowledged the role of CSOs in the return to democratic governance and their sustained advocacy for social justice, poverty reduction, human rights and the fight against corruption.
Acknowledging the difficulties arising from the economic reforms introduced by his administration in 2023, the President said the measures were necessary to stabilise the economy and eliminate wasteful policy regimes.
He, however, said the country was beginning to witness the benefits of the reforms.
“Four years down the line, we wish to modestly assure Nigerians that Nigeria is moving from reform to prosperity,” he said.
According to him, the focus of the Renewed Hope Agenda is now shifting towards rebuilding public trust, strengthening institutional accountability and ensuring that economic growth translates into social inclusion.
The President stressed that government could not achieve the prosperity agenda alone, calling for stronger partnerships among government, civil society, the private sector and development partners.
He cited Nigeria’s participation in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the Open Government Partnership as examples of effective collaboration between the State and civil society.
To institutionalise the partnership, Tinubu announced four strategic commitments.
He said the SGF had been directed to establish a Quarterly Government-Civil Society Policy Dialogue Forum to ensure that evidence-based advocacy and community perspectives contribute to policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.
The government, he added, would expand civic space for social accountability by working with accredited organisations to improve public finance transparency, budget tracking and monitoring of humanitarian interventions.
Tinubu further disclosed that government, in collaboration with the United Nations system, development partners and the private sector, would reposition civil society organisations as key drivers of the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
He said the initiative would focus on capacity building and access to technical and financial resources in areas including poverty reduction, youth and women empowerment, healthcare, education, climate resilience and peacebuilding.
The President also said government and civil society would work together to promote national cohesion and sustain peace across the country.
On the 2027 general elections, Tinubu charged CSOs to remain at the forefront of democratic development by educating voters, monitoring elections, advocating electoral reforms and collaborating with law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and the media to promote credible polls.
“Nigeria’s strength lies in its united people and their vigilance,” he said, urging civil society organisations to serve as a stabilising force against misinformation while promoting interfaith dialogue and inclusive governance.
Tinubu also called for introspection within the civic space, urging CSOs to develop a collective code of conduct to strengthen ethics, professionalism and public interest.
He noted that although his administration operates an open-door policy anchored on transparency and accountability, actions by some actors in the past had strained government-civil society relations.
The President restated the four areas of alignment announced at the Southern Civil Society Summit in Lagos on July 9, 2026, stressing that they remained relevant nationwide.
The areas are food security; poverty eradication through jobs and enterprise; improved governance; and human capital development.
Commending the Centre for Civil Society and Humanitarian Empowerment Initiative (CSCHEI) and the leadership of accredited civil society organisations for convening the summit, Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression, association, assembly and press freedom.
He urged CSOs to maintain high standards of integrity, professionalism and mutual accountability.
“Let your legitimacy be matched by credibility and your advocacy by credible patriotism. Continue to believe in Nigeria, the only country we have with its beautiful diversity and resources,” he said.
