ABUJA — Five human rights organisations have called on the National Assembly and the Federal Government to withdraw the Foreign Aids (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1034), warning that its provisions could restrict civic space and undermine the work of human rights defenders and civil society organisations .
CDA News Nigeria gathered that the organisations—the Nigerian Human Rights Defenders Network (NHRDN), Partnership for Justice, Front Line Defenders (FLD), West African Human Rights Defenders Network (WAHRDN) and Protection International—issued a joint statement on Wednesday condemning the proposed legislation . The bill, sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (PDP, Gombe North), passed second reading in the Senate in July and seeks to establish a Foreign Aid Regulatory Commission with powers to register, inspect, audit, sanction and shut down organisations receiving foreign grants or technical assistance .
CDA News Nigeria reports that the groups raised concerns over several provisions, including Section 6(1), which requires foreign aid to be registered within 30 days of receipt, potentially hindering emergency funding for legal defence, relocation assistance and support for survivors of rights violations . They also criticised Sections 7 and 8, which mandate public disclosure of implementing partners and funded activities through a national register, arguing this could expose human rights defenders, survivors and witnesses to surveillance and retaliation .
The organisations argued that the bill contradicts Nigeria’s commitments under the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review and noted that Nigeria is a candidate for election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2027-2029 term, which should be accompanied by stronger domestic protection of human rights defenders .
The groups called for meaningful consultation with civil society in developing any future regulatory framework and demanded explicit legal protection for confidential information concerning defenders, survivors and witnesses . They urged the government to reaffirm constitutional guarantees on freedom of association, expression and assembly .
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