- Reaffirms Commitment To His Prosperity Gospel For Nigeria
By Our Reporter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has reaffirmed his administration's commitment to protecting civic space and partnering with Civil Society Organisations as strategic co-creators in governance, declaring that Nigeria is now moving from difficult but necessary reforms to shared prosperity.
Speaking at the 2026 National Civil Society Organisations Summit which held on Friday at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, themed "Nigeria First and National Development", the President described the gathering as a strategic reaffirmation of the social contract between the State and the people, coming on the heels of Nigeria's 66th Independence Anniversary.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume (CON), paid tribute to the evolution of civil society in Nigeria, noting that, for 66 years, it has remained the conscience of the nation, giving voice to the vulnerable and bridging policy with grassroots realities.
He particularly commended CSOs for their historic role in the return to democratic governance and their enduring pursuit of social justice, poverty eradication, human rights and anti-corruption.
Acknowledging the challenges of the past three years, the President said the inevitable reforms embarked upon in 2023 to stabilise the economy and reset wasteful policy regimes had thrown up difficulties for managers and citizens alike, but modestly assured Nigerians that progress is now evident.
"Four years down the line, we wish to modestly assure Nigerians that Nigeria is moving from reform to prosperity," he declared, adding that the focus of the Renewed Hope Agenda is now to rebuild public trust, strengthen institutional accountability, and ensure growth translates into social inclusion.
The President stressed that government alone cannot deliver this prosperity agenda and called for robust multi-stakeholder partnership, citing Nigeria's participation in the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) and Open Government Partnership as working models of state-civil society collaboration.
To institutionalise this partnership, President Tinubu announced four strategic commitments. First, he noted that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been directed to establish a Quarterly Government-Civil Society Policy Dialogue Forum to ensure evidence-based advocacy and community insights inform policy design, implementation and evaluation.
Second, the government, he noted, will expand civic space for social accountability by working with accredited organisations to enhance public finance transparency, budget tracking and monitoring of humanitarian interventions.
Third, the President said government, in collaboration with the United Nations system, development partners and the private sector, will reposition civil society as key drivers for localizing the Sustainable Development Goals by supporting capacity strengthening and access to technical and financial resources aligned with national priorities in poverty reduction, youth and women empowerment, health, education, climate resilience and peacebuilding. Fourth, he explained that the government and civil society will jointly foster national cohesion and the sustainability of peace.
On the forthcoming 2027 general elections, President Tinubu charged civil society to remain the vanguard of democracy, educating voters, monitoring polls, advocating reforms and working with law enforcement, the judiciary and media to ensure credible elections.
"Nigeria’s strength lies in its united people and their vigilance," he said, urging CSOs to be a stabilising force that counters misinformation, promotes interfaith dialogue and champions inclusive governance.
The President also called for introspection within the civic space, urging CSOs to collectively develop a code of conduct to reinforce ethics and public interest, noting that while his administration operates an open-door policy anchored on transparency and accountability, some past actions by a few actors had strained partnerships.
He restated the four points of alignment enunciated at the Southern Civil Society Summit in Lagos on July 9, 2026 - food security, poverty eradication through jobs and enterprise, improved governance, and human capital development - as valid nationwide.
Commending CSCHEI and the leadership of accredited civil society organisations for convening an inclusive summit, President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration's commitment to protecting freedom of expression, association, assembly and press freedom as inalienable rights. He urged CSOs to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and mutual accountability, adding, "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." NNL.
