News

Stakeholders seek legislative reforms for effective CSOs’ operations in Nigeria

Published

2 weeks ago

June 24, 2025

Stakeholders from the Civic space and government actors have called for legislative reforms that would remove every regulatory hurdle and improve efficient operations of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs in Nigeria.

The stakeholders made the call in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital during the 2025 South South Regional Conference on Improving Regulatory Environment for CSO operations in Nigeria organized by Global Rights with support from European Union Delegation to Nigeria and West Africa.

The theme of the 2025 conference is ”Scaling Policy to Action- Strengthening the Regulatory Environment for Sustainable CSO Operations at the Sub-national Level.”

The Former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare in Akwa Ibom, Dr Ini Adiakpanin observed that CSOs had complained about multiplicity of registration requirement with government agencies with their attendant financial burden.

She called for a one-stop shop where one registration would cover everything about the government.

Adiakpan also noted that necessary policies should be made and laws reviewed to allow CSOs in each state pay a fixed amount for registrations given the dearth of funding for most of them and humanitarian nature of their services.

She said, ”CSOs complain about multiplicity of registration with government, some with women affairs, the other one would be youth development even environment. The issue had been, why don’t we have like a one stop shop where we register once so that from one registration you can use it to deal with everything about government? Not paying in different places.”

The Keynote speaker, KufreAbasi Edidem, in his address explained that before initiating reforms, there must be holistic review of the existing laws and regulations affecting CSOs, which according to him includes, understanding their objectives, there applicability, and areas needing revision.

Edidem who is the Deputy Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House Assembly further explained that experts such as lawyers , journalists, policy analyst should be engaged in the process while data driven and well articulated report is presented to both legislative and executive stakeholders.

He encouraged the CSOs to embark on a wider consultations with the Senate, House of Representatives, State Houses of Assembly as well as Law Reform Commission stressing that the commission is mandated to review outdated laws and advise government accordingly as only after proper consultations can the legislature be guided on which law to amend or repel.

He admitted that while the state houses of Assembly play a role especially in oversight the primary responsibility lies with the National Assembly because many of the laws regulating CSOs especially the Company and Allied Matter Act 2020 CAMA falls under the exclusive legislative list and once the National Assembly legislates on a subject, the state legislature cannot enact conflicting laws except in areas not covered.

”It is also important for CSOs to understand legal exceptions that already exist for example, section 10(f) of the tenement rate law cap 151 law of Akwa Ibom State, 2000 exempts non profit organisations from paying tenement rate, section 3 of the business premises registration law cap 124 also empowers the commissioner to grant exemptions to CSOs, similar provisions exist at the federal level under CAMA and VAT act.” He added.

He, however promised to use relevant legislative tools at his disposal to ensure enabling policies are enacted for effective operation of CSOs in Akwa Ibom state and South South region at large

Earlier in her remarks, the executive Director of Global Rights, Abiodun Baiyewu recounted the significant progress made by the organisation within one year after the 2024 regional conferences especially in the area of partnership for a sustainable operational environment for CSOs.

Baiyewu also expressed hope that the 2025 conferences would create actionable steps that will allow civil society actors optimize their impact and function freely in their humanitarian services to communities.

”This year’s conferences seek to continue the conversation started last year and consolidate the implementation of a harmonized regulatory framework either via the pathway of a policy or law to eliminate redundant registrations, enhance funding opportunities and foster inclusive policy development.

The 2025 conferences will also introduce the CSO community to tools expected to improve CSO compliance, to extant laws and establish a regional task force for coordination,” Baiyewu noted.

On the import of the conference, the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said it was aimed at strengthening partnership and regular interactions between CSOs and State government agencies for a favorable regulatory environment to operate.

”These conferences are designed to be meeting points for civil society stakeholders, state and federal government actors to meet, discuss and agree on key issues relating to laws and regulations that affect civil society operations.” She stated.

News

Supreme Court judgment: APC supporters locked out of celebration at Edo Govt House

Published

8 hours ago

July 11, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Hundreds of persons, including members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and market women, among others, were on Friday denied access to the Edo State Government House during the celebration of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s victory at the Supreme Court.

The supporters of the party were reportedly barred from entering the Government House by security operatives who said they were acting on instructions.

Ekwutosblog recalls that the Supreme Court had on Thursday validated the decisions of the lower courts, the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court Appeal, which upheld Okpebholo as the winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election.

As a result of the judgment, members and supporters of the APC, as well as market women and youths, gathered at the Benin Airport as early as 7:00 am to give the governor a rousing welcome.

The jubilant supporters were still at the airport at about 12.40 pm when the governor’s aircraft touched down.

Following the euphoria of the victory, the supporters, many of whom were not mobile, proceeded on foot in a road procession with Okpebholo’s convoy, chanting solidarity songs.

The procession, which lasted for about an hour, terminated at the Edo State Government House.

The supporters were, however, stunned when they were prevented by security operatives from going into the Edo State Government House with the governor.

The bewildered supporters took turns to lament the development, with many raining insults on the authorities.

One of the supporters, who simply identified herself as Mrs Omogiate, said they were informed by security operatives that only Very Important Personalities (VIPs) would be allowed into the Government House for refreshments

According to her, “in the worst moments of ex-governor Godwin Obaseki, supporters and members were not shabbily treated like this”.

Another supporter who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “They have won now, and they have decided to build a wall around themselves.

“I left my house before 700 am for the airport and stood under the sun for hours before the arrival of the governor.

“We engaged in a road show with him till we got to the Government House, only for us to be shut out. This is unfair.”

Business

NNPCL: We will conclude review of Port Harcourt Refinery by December – Ojulari

Published

9 hours ago

July 11, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company, Bayo Ojulari, has said the state-owned oil firm is planning to conclude its review of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries before the end of December 2025.

Ojuari disclosed this in an interview with Bloomberg published on Thursday, at the sideline of the a recent seminar for the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

He noted that NNPCL would make a decision on selling the refineries after it had concluded its review process.

According to him, some of the technologies brought in to revamp the refineries have not worked as expected due to the old nature of the plants.

“So our refineries, we have made quite a lot of investment in over the last several years and brought in a lot of technologies. We have been challenged that some of those technologies have not worked as expected so far. As you know, refining a very old refinery that has been abandoned for some time becomes a little bit complicated. So we are reviewing all our refineries strategies now. We hope before the end of the year we will conclude the review.

“The review will lead to us doing things differently.

When asked by Bloomberg whether selling the refineries is an option, Ojulari said, “What we are saying is that a sale is not out of the question; all the options are on the table. That decision will be based on the outcome of the review.

Ojulari’s comments come after NNPCL, on May 24, 2025, announced the shutdown of the Port Harcourt refinery for planned maintenance and sustainability assessment.

In November and December last year, the former GCEO of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, announced the successful rehabilitation and commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

Business

NNPCL reduces fuel price

Published

9 hours ago

July 11, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, has reduced its premium motor spirit price.

Ekwutosblog correspondent gathered that the NNPCL retail outlets in Abuja on Saturday slashed their petrol pump price to N910 per litre from N945.

This was the case in NNPCL filling stations in Zone 6, Kubwa Expressway, Wuse Zone 4, and other parts of Abuja.

The new petrol price at the state-owned oil firm represents a N30 drop from its earlier N945 per litre price.

The development comes barely four days after Dangote Refinery reduced its petrol ex-depot price to N840 per litre from N880 following a drop in global crude oil prices.

Members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association also announced a reduction in the petrol price to between N930 and N940 per litre from N945 and N975 in Abuja and N890 per litre, down from N925 in Lagos State.