President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on civil society organisations (CSOs) to take an active role in promoting credible and peaceful elections ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Tinubu made the call on Friday at the 2026 National Civil Society Organisations Summit held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, urged CSOs to strengthen their contribution to the democratic process through voter education, election monitoring and advocacy for electoral reforms.
He said civil society organisations could work alongside the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, the judiciary, media organisations and citizens to improve the credibility of the electoral process.
Tinubu also encouraged CSOs to develop a collective code of conduct to promote ethical standards, professionalism and accountability within the sector.
According to him, the conduct of some civil society actors in the past had raised concerns about ethics and the broader public interest, making stronger self-regulation necessary.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting civic space, including freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and press freedom, noting that these rights are protected by Nigeria’s Constitution and international obligations.
He urged CSOs to maintain their independence while continuing to engage government and hold public institutions accountable.
Tinubu also announced plans to establish a Quarterly Government-Civil Society Policy Dialogue Forum. The platform, he said, would allow evidence-based advocacy and grassroots perspectives to contribute to government policy development, implementation and evaluation.
The President further said the government would expand opportunities for accredited civil society groups to participate in public finance transparency, budget tracking and monitoring of humanitarian interventions.
He identified food security, poverty reduction through jobs and enterprise, improved governance and human capital development as key areas where government and civil society could deepen cooperation.
Tinubu described civil society organisations as important partners in national development, noting their historical contributions to democracy, human rights, social justice and accountability.
He also called on CSOs to support efforts aimed at strengthening national cohesion, combating misinformation and promoting peaceful engagement ahead of the 2027 elections.
The National Convener of the summit and Director-General of the Civil Society Organisations on Community Advancement and Humanitarian Empowerment Initiative, Ambassador Kunle Yusuff, said civil society groups had an important role to play in connecting government policies with the realities faced by communities.
Yusuff said the summit was focused on areas including civic education, electoral integrity, peaceful elections, sustainable development, food security, democratic governance, the rule of law and information integrity.
He also called on all stakeholders to work towards free, fair, peaceful and credible elections in 2027.
The summit brought together civil society representatives and other stakeholders to discuss governance, elections, development, food security, artificial intelligence and other national issues.
