The Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), Nana Afadzinu, has encouraged Nigerian civil society organizations to reflect on their operations and reduce their reliance on international funding.
She made this declaration while addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja during a press gathering organized by WACSI in preparation for its upcoming launch on November 16.
As per her statements, a WACSI investigation to assess the influence of COVID-19 on CSOs in Nigeria indicated that the pandemic had a considerably adverse effect on CSOs, leading to a decline in their financial stability.
The research revealed that among the 80 CSOs that took part in the survey, 38.4% experienced funding cuts from primary donors, and 58.1% faced challenges in raising any local resources during the pandemic to augment donor contributions.
The fact that 55.8% of the CSOs reported being unable to mobilize local resources highlights the instability of financial sustainability for many CSOs in the country.
In light of diminishing international support, CSOs are encouraged to introspect and reduce their dependence on outside funding sources, thereby widening the support base available to CSOs in the country and encompassing all Nigerians.
What you need to be aware of
Like many other nations in West Africa, Nigeria’s civic environment is shrinking, complicating effective civil society operations.
In collaboration with Spaces for Change, WACSI is implementing the Civic Space Resource Hub with financial backing from the Ford Foundation to equip civil society actors in these nations with the necessary tools to bolster their resilience and tackle the challenges associated with civic space.
This initiative focuses on three West African countries, including Nigeria. Given the extensive number of civil society organizations in Nigeria—approximately 46,000 non-governmental organizations (and counting)—across the country’s six geopolitical zones, civil society actors present there are crucial contributors to WACSI’s domain of influence.
The WACSI node will function as a liaison office, connecting partners within the civil society with WACSI’s array of service offerings. These services include coaching, mentoring, and training designed to enhance institutional capabilities in the management, operations, and governance of non-profit organizations.
Since its inception in 2005, WACSI has equipped 8,899 participants from 5,452 civil society organizations worldwide.
Thanks to WACSI’s physical establishment in Nigeria, local CSOs can now conveniently access their services and training to boost their capabilities, facilitate the mobilization of local resources, and devise sustainability strategies.
