Accredited Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across Southern Nigeria have formally endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s security efforts, outlining a 15-point policy roadmap to promote national cohesion and sustainable development.
The endorsement and policy adoption took place during the Southern Civil Society Organisations Summit, which centered on the theme, “Nigeria First and Sustainable Development”. The summit brought together key civic leaders to discuss how grassroots organizations can transition from traditional opposition into active governance partners.
The adopted 15-point “Nigeria First” agenda calls for significantly increased investments in the nation’s security architecture. Recognizing the complexity of regional security threats, the participating CSOs emphasized the need for deep community involvement, advocating for stronger intelligence sharing and civilian vigilance at the local level. Furthermore, the agenda pushes for robust funding for both security agencies and the judiciary to ensure the swift dispensation of justice.
Beyond security, the summit’s resolutions include a broad commitment to promoting civic education, actively rejecting hate speech, and collaborating closely with the government to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), social protection programs, and youth empowerment.
The civil society coalition’s declaration follows recent calls from the presidency for local advocacy groups to prioritize the national interest. Representing President Tinubu at the Lagos summit, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume urged civic groups to align with national development priorities and reject foreign influence capable of undermining the country’s sovereignty.
President Tinubu, through the SGF, also challenged the CSOs to partner with the government in addressing critical agricultural and environmental issues—such as climate-smart agriculture and flood mitigation—to safeguard food security across southern states.
With the adoption of the “Nigeria First” agenda, the Southern CSOs have signaled a renewed willingness to collaborate with state and federal governments, setting the stage for a new framework of public-private partnership in national development.
