Civil society organisations and community-based groups under the umbrella of the Civil Society Council for Human and Economic Intervention (CSCHEI) have adopted “Nigeria First” as their guiding ideology, unveiling a 15-point resolution aimed at promoting national unity, security, economic development and inclusive governance.
The resolution was presented in Abuja by the coalition’s Director-General, Kunle Yusuff, following the Southern Civil Society Organisations Summit held in Lagos on July 8, 2026, with the theme, “Nigeria First.”
Reading the communiqué, Yusuff said the coalition had resolved to reposition civil society from confrontation to collaboration in the interest of national development.
According to him, “We adopt ‘Nigeria First’ as our guiding ideology. We pledge to reposition Civil Society from confrontation to collaboration, to prioritise national interest above sectional interests, and to serve as a bridge between Government and the people for sustainable national development.”
He said the organisations were committed to promoting peace, tolerance and national cohesion across the country by rejecting hate speech, divisive narratives and actions capable of undermining Nigeria’s unity.
“We commit to promoting peace, tolerance and national unity across the Southern States and Nigeria at large by rejecting hate speech, divisive narratives and actions that undermine nationhood,” Yusuff said.
On security, the coalition called for stronger institutions to tackle insecurity and improve justice delivery.
Yusuff said, “We call for the strengthening and adequate resourcing of the Judiciary, Intelligence and Security Agencies to ensure proactive crime prevention, justice delivery and protection of lives and property.”
The coalition also urged governments at all levels to prioritise sustainable agriculture by supporting smallholder farmers and implementing policies that would guarantee food sufficiency and affordability for Nigerians.
It further resolved to align civil society programmes with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 Agenda by working with federal and state Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to monitor, report and accelerate progress on all 17 SDGs at the grassroots level.
On climate change, the organisations advocated increased investment in climate adaptation, renewable energy and community-based environmental programmes, while calling for transparent access to global climate financing for local communities.
The summit also demanded the institutionalisation of an open budgeting system that guarantees citizen participation, transparency in public expenditure and value for money in project implementation.
Reaffirming its commitment to democratic governance, the coalition stressed the need for inclusive governance, the rule of law and judicial independence as pillars for sustainable democracy and national development.
It also called for the establishment of a structured partnership framework between government and civil society organisations to improve service delivery and ensure development reaches underserved communities.
The organisations resolved to intensify efforts against misinformation by countering fake news and rumours while expanding voter education and civic engagement to strengthen democracy.
On youth development, the coalition urged governments and development partners to increase investments in skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and the Industrial Training Fund to reduce unemployment and empower young Nigerians.
It also called for the expansion and refinement of social protection programmes to cushion the impact of economic hardship and restore citizens’ confidence in government.
The summit further resolved to collaborate with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the Bank of Industry (BOI) and other relevant institutions to improve access to grants, credit facilities and technical support for micro, small and medium enterprises as drivers of job creation and grassroots economic growth.
On healthcare and education, the coalition pledged to partner with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to improve primary healthcare and basic education delivery, particularly in underserved communities across the 460 local government areas within its operational reach.
The organisations also committed to ensuring that all civil society interventions are anchored on logic, science and data, including the establishment of a unified data system to measure development impact and improve donor and government support.
In a call to action, Yusuff urged governments and other stakeholders to work together to implement the resolutions.
“The Summit calls upon the Federal Government of Nigeria, State Governments, the National Assembly, Development Partners, the Private Sector, Donor Agencies, Traditional and Religious Institutions, Academia, the Media and all Nigerian citizens to work collaboratively towards the full implementation of these resolutions in the collective interest of national development,” he said.
He added that the coalition would continue to build partnerships and sustain advocacy for policies that promote peace, prosperity and inclusive development.
“We further resolve to strengthen strategic partnerships, mobilise technical expertise, institutionalise data-driven decision-making, and sustain advocacy for policies that promote peace, prosperity, environmental sustainability, democratic governance and inclusive development, guided by the principle of ‘Nigeria First’,” Yusuff said.
He reminded Nigerians that “we are all stakeholders in the Nigerian project,” urging citizens to unite in support of national development.
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