CSOs demand withdrawal of foreign aid bill

A coalition of five human rights organizations has called on Nigeria's National Assembly to reject the Foreign Aids (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill 2026, known as SB. 1034. They argue the legislation poses a significant threat to civic space and could endanger human rights defenders across the country.

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A candidacy that should be matched by concrete domestic protection of human rights defenders.

The bill, which passed its second reading in the Senate in July, aims to establish a commission to oversee, track, and regulate all foreign grants, donor funds, and technical assistance. Unlike previous attempts, its scope is broad, encompassing government bodies, civil society groups, and private organizations. The Nigerian Human Rights Defenders Network, Partnership for Justice, Front Line Defenders, West African Human Rights Defenders Network, and Protection International issued a joint statement highlighting that the bill directly conflicts with Nigeria's commitments made during its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle to protect fundamental freedoms.

Several sections of the bill have been flagged as particularly dangerous. Section 6(1) mandates a 30-day registration for any foreign donation, a deadline the groups contend would criminalize rapid-response funding essential for legal defense, emergency relocation, and support for victims of gender-based violence and human rights abuses. Furthermore, the proposed requirement for public disclosure of implementing partners and funded activities in a national register, as outlined in another section, is predicted to create "serious and foreseeable security risks, including surveillance, harassment, and retaliation" for defenders, witnesses, and survivors.

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creates serious and foreseeable security risks, including surveillance, harassment, and retaliation

The organizations also pointed to Section 11, which requires foreign-funded activities to "align" with Nigeria's national development plans and priorities. They argue this vague standard could be used to label the work of human rights defenders, including those documenting violations, defending environmental rights, or supporting marginalized communities, as "out of alignment with priorities." This, they stated, would provide a legal basis to restrict their protection and support, undermining their crucial work. The groups emphasized that Nigeria's candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council for the 2027-2029 term should be accompanied by robust domestic protection for human rights defenders.

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This standard is broad and vague enough that the state could brand the work of human rights defenders, including those documenting rights violations, defending land and environmental rights, or supporting marginalised and at-risk communities, as ‘out of alignment with priorities,’ providing a legal basis to restrict their protection and support.