A coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has voiced strong opposition to the Kano State Government’s recent decision to establish a committee tasked with profiling and regulating non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating within the state. In a statement issued on Thursday, 18 prominent CSOs expressed serious concerns about the committee’s broad mandate, describing it as draconian, unconstitutional, and a threat to the independence of civil society.
The organizations argue that the initiative is a thinly veiled attempt by the state government to suppress independent voices and control the civic space. They warn that the move could undermine the vital role of civil society organizations in promoting transparency, accountability, and social change within Kano State.
According to the CSOs, the committee’s powers, which include profiling NGOs, investigating their funding sources, scrutinizing operational methods, recommending regulatory frameworks, and potentially shutting down NGO offices, are excessively broad and open to abuse. The groups caution that such powers could be used to target organizations working on sensitive issues such as healthcare, education, and human rights.
The CSOs also criticized the vague justification provided by the government for the initiative, which claims to align NGO activities with the state’s development goals, as well as Kano’s moral and religious values. The lack of clear criteria, they argue, creates an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty that will discourage meaningful collaboration between civil society and the government.
This latest move by the Kano State Government has drawn comparisons to a similar attempt at the federal level in 2017, which was abandoned after facing significant opposition. The groups assert that existing legal frameworks, such as the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 and the Nigeria Open Government Partnership (OGP), already provide adequate oversight for NGOs, rendering the new committee redundant.
A key point of contention for the CSOs is the appointment of Hon. Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, as the committee’s chairperson. The groups have raised concerns about Waiya’s controversial past leadership of the Kano Civil Society Forum (KCSF), which was marked by allegations of financial mismanagement, misconduct, and ongoing litigation. They argue that Waiya’s failure to provide financial accounts or essential documents during his tenure raises serious questions about his ability to oversee NGOs impartially.
In their statement, the CSOs call for the immediate dissolution of the committee and demand that the Kano State Government cease all activities related to the profiling and regulation of NGOs. They urge the government to reaffirm its commitment to civil society autonomy and create a transparent, accountable environment for NGOs to operate. Furthermore, the CSOs emphasize the importance of respecting constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of association and expression.
The statement concludes with a pledge to mobilize public awareness and engage with national and international stakeholders to protect and preserve civic space in Kano State.
Among the organizations that signed the statement are the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), the Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative (IWEI), the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN), the Adolescent Health Information Project (AHIP), the Democratic Action Group (DAG), the Women in Media Development Initiative (WIMDI), United Action for Democracy (UAD) Kano, the Youth and Environmental Development Association (YEDA), and many others.