SERAP, NGE fault foreign aid bill, demand withdrawal
August 31, 2026 1:25 am
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project. Photo: SERAP
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and the Nigerian Guild of Editors have urged the National Assembly to reject the proposed Foreign Aid (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, 2026, warning that it could undermine civic space, media freedom and democratic participation in Nigeria.
The organisations made the call in a joint open letter dated August 29, 2026, addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
The letter, signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and the NGE’s General Secretary, Mr Onuoha Ukeh, stated that the Bill, sponsored by Ibrahim Dankwambo (PDP, Gombe North), was “unnecessary, unlawful, unconstitutional and a threat to civic space, media freedom and democratic participation in Nigeria.”
SERAP and NGE said the proposed legislation, if passed, would create “an extensive framework for governmental control” over civil society organisations, independent media organisations, religious bodies and private entities receiving foreign assistance.
The organisations said, “Although the Bill is presented in the guise of promoting transparency, it would establish an extensive framework for governmental control over civil society organisations and private entities receiving foreign assistance.”
The Bill proposes mandatory registration and disclosure requirements for organisations receiving foreign aid and provides sanctions, including a minimum fine of N20m for civil society organisations and private entities, as well as possible suspension or revocation of operating licences.
SERAP and NGE argued that Nigeria already has institutions responsible for regulating financial activities and ensuring accountability, making the proposed Foreign Aid Regulatory Commission unnecessary.
“Nothing in the Bill demonstrates that these institutions are unable to perform their statutory responsibilities or that any regulatory gap justifies creating another regulator with overlapping and potentially intrusive powers,” the organisations stated.
They listed existing agencies, including the Corporate Affairs Commission, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and Nigeria Revenue Service, as institutions already empowered to oversee corporate registration, financial reporting, taxation and anti-corruption enforcement.
The groups also raised concerns over what they described as vague provisions in the Bill, particularly terms such as “foreign aid”, “national priorities” and “public interest”.
“The Bill also employs vague concepts such as ‘foreign aid’, ‘national priorities’ and ‘public interest’ without defining them or establishing objective legal standards to govern their application,” they said.
According to SERAP and NGE, the lack of clear definitions could allow arbitrary enforcement and violate constitutional and international human rights standards requiring restrictions on rights to be lawful, necessary and proportionate.
They warned that the proposed Foreign Aid Regulatory Commission would have sweeping powers, including registering organisations, compelling disclosures, inspecting records, investigating activities, monitoring foreign assistance, issuing directives, suspending approvals and imposing sanctions.
“These sweeping powers go far beyond ordinary financial regulation and would expose legitimate organisations, including independent media organisations, civil society groups and other civic actors and private entities, to intrusive governmental supervision and interference,” the organisations said.
They further stated that placing independent media organisations and civil society groups under an additional executive-controlled regulatory framework could create pressure on their independence and encourage self-censorship.
“Subjecting independent media and other civil society organisations and private entities to an additional executive-controlled regulatory regime would increase governmental leverage over their operations, place pressure on independence and create conditions conducive to self-censorship,” they stated.
The organisations expressed concern that the Bill could affect investigative journalism, fact-checking initiatives, journalist safety programmes and other public-interest activities that rely on foreign grants.
“The Bill could have serious consequences for independent journalism and civil society organisations, given the reliance of many organisations on foreign grants to support investigative journalism, fact-checking, journalist safety, media development and other public-interest activities,” they said.
SERAP and NGE also linked the proposed legislation to concerns over Nigeria’s shrinking civic space ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections amid an increasingly shrinking civic space, the Bill further threatens fundamental rights, democratic participation and media freedom,” they warned.
The groups said the Bill was inconsistent with sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantee freedom of expression and association.
“It is also inconsistent with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, and relevant international human rights standards protecting civic space, freedom of association and media freedom,” they added.
They urged lawmakers to immediately withdraw and reject the Bill, while committing not to introduce legislation that would restrict the activities of civil society organisations, private entities and independent media.
SERAP and NGE said, “Should the Bill be passed into law despite the serious constitutional and human rights concerns raised, SERAP and NGE will consider taking all appropriate legal action in the public interest to challenge it and protect freedom of association, media freedom and civic participation.”
The organisations also called on the National Assembly to prioritise legislation that promotes transparency, accountability, media freedom, civic participation and an enabling environment for civil society, religious, humanitarian and media organisations.
They urged lawmakers to uphold their constitutional duty to protect democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, warning against the use of legislative powers to “narrow legitimate democratic participation or silence critical voices.”
Onozure is a correspondent of The PUNCH on the judiciary beat. She has over a decade experience covering criminal and civil matters from the magistrate to the appellate courts. She’s a graduate of Political Science
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