A coalition of 52 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has issued a strongly-worded statement condemning what they describe as systemic governance failures threatening Nigeria’s stability, calling on the federal government to take immediate corrective action.
In a joint statement titled ‘A Call to Action by Nigerian Civil Society Organisations’, released on Tuesday, the groups — including ActionAid Nigeria, Yiaga Africa, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) — painted a grim picture of a nation buckling under the weight of insecurity, poverty, and institutional decay.
A Nation “On the Brink”
“Nigeria is on the brink of collapse,” the organisations warned, citing a widening gap between government revenues and the lived realities of ordinary citizens. The CSOs noted that federal budgets over the last two years have exceeded N100 trillion , surpassing the combined total of all budgets from 1999 to 2017 , yet public services continue to deteriorate and poverty deepens.
The statement comes amid a wave of deadly attacks across Borno, Plateau, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, and Benue states, where dozens have been killed and many others abducted in recent weeks. More than half of Nigeria’s 200 million people already live in multidimensional poverty, and rising fuel prices linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict have pushed food and transport costs further out of reach for millions.
Eight Areas of Alarm
The coalition identified eight critical areas of concern: insecurity and violence, banditry and food collapse, a kidnapping epidemic, shrinking civic space, corruption and governance breakdown, economic hardship and inequality, threats to the 2027 elections, and erosion of judicial credibility.
On security, the groups said killings, abductions, and displacement have become routine, with entire communities across the North and Middle Belt abandoned. They described kidnapping as having evolved into “a nationwide industry,” with ransom payment replacing any meaningful access to safety. The organisations also raised alarm over what they see as an increasingly hostile environment for dissent. “Journalists face harassment, activists face threats, and peaceful protesters are silenced,” the statement read, adding that a democracy which fears its citizens “is already in decline.”
Democracy and 2027 Under Threat
With the 2027 general elections approaching, the CSOs echoed growing concerns about attempts to suppress opposition and inch Nigeria toward a one-party state , allegations the government has repeatedly denied. The groups warned that “the manipulation of political systems and the erosion of trust” pose a direct threat to the country’s democratic future. They also took aim at the judiciary, arguing that political interference in the courts has gravely undermined public confidence in the justice system. “Justice delayed or influenced is justice denied,” the statement said.
Demands from Government
The organisations are demanding a comprehensive government response across multiple fronts. These include converting record revenues into tangible public benefits such as healthcare, job creation, and food security; launching coordinated national security efforts with stronger intelligence capabilities; prosecuting corruption swiftly and transparently; and implementing electoral reforms ahead of 2027.
They also called on authorities to protect civic freedoms, end the politicisation of public institutions, and restore judicial independence. “Every Naira of public money must be felt in the life of the ordinary citizen; anything less is betrayal,” the statement concluded. “The time for excuses is over — Nigeria must choose humanity over politics.”
