CSOs seek single registry in Akwa Ibom, oppose multiple registration requirements

Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Nigeria's Akwa Ibom State are pushing for a unified registration system to simplify their operations. They have called for the establishment of a central registry to eliminate the burden of multiple registration requirements and overlapping levies imposed by different government agencies.

This demand emerged from a town hall meeting on the draft Civil Society Organisation Registration Bill 2026 in Uyo. The meeting, supported by Global Rights, highlighted how the current fragmented framework forces organizations through repeated registration processes and administrative charges. Stakeholders argued this increases operational costs and creates bureaucratic hurdles.

To address these issues, they proposed that the Akwa Ibom State CSO Registry should be housed under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, serving as the sole point of entry for CSOs. This arrangement aims to abolish parallel registration systems and duplicate levies, which a communiqué stated have "taxed civil society’s time, resources and goodwill."

Furthermore, stakeholders endorsed the draft bill's provisions for an online registration and directory system. They believe digitizing the process will reduce opportunities for extortion and delays associated with manual procedures, ensuring compliance with Nigeria’s data protection laws and promoting transparency. The proposed registry board should also maintain independence, with CSOs nominating a majority of its members.

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A fragmented regime has for too long taxed civil society’s time, resources and goodwill.