The Federal Government stressed FG CSOs Collaboration to boost accountability, strengthen service delivery, and deepen citizens’ role in Nigeria’s budget.
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to participatory governance, urging Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to intensify their role in shaping public policy.
Officials stressed that strong FG CSOs Collaboration is essential to improving service delivery and enhancing accountability across Nigeria.
This message was delivered in Abuja by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, during a citizens’ and stakeholders’ engagement forum designed to encourage broader participation in the nation’s budgetary process.
Bagudu noted that CSOs play a vital role in bridging the gap between government and citizens.
Through advocacy, research, and grassroots mobilisation, they provide feedback that can refine policies and improve service delivery.
He encouraged them to base their interventions on reliable statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), stressing that data-driven advocacy helps ensure government programmes reflect reality rather than perception.
“The government is ready to listen, but we expect civil society to work with credible data to strengthen accountability and ensure that services reach the wards and communities that need them most,” Bagudu said.
In his presentation titled The Role of Citizens in the Budget Preparatory Process, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Dr. Taminu Yakubu, emphasised that the Constitution recognises citizens as the ultimate custodians of public resources.
He said the national budget is not a tool for government alone but a shared instrument that belongs to the people.
Yakubu urged Nigerians to see themselves as co-owners of the budget rather than passive observers. “A budget with citizens is the nation’s future,” he declared.
He also explained the simultaneous implementation of the 2024 and 2025 budgets, clarifying that the extension of the capital component of the 2024 appropriation created an overlap meant to sustain key projects without disruption.
Also speaking, the Statistician General of the Federation and Chief Executive of the NBS, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, encouraged CSOs to take advantage of the Bureau’s open-access data.
He described the information as reliable, transparent, and essential for effective monitoring of government programmes.
Reinforcing this point, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Dr. Sampson Ebimaro, described the engagement as proof of government’s openness to dialogue.
He said the ministry values the insights and experiences of CSOs, which often capture realities from the grassroots.
“The insights you share, the concerns you raise, and the solutions you proffer will no doubt shape our development trajectory,” Ebimaro stated.
“We are here to listen, learn, and collaborate because sustainable development can only be achieved when government policies are grounded in serving the interests of the people.”
Representatives of civil society welcomed the initiative but called for sustained engagement beyond one-off forums.
A statement released by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi, listed participants to include Mr. Oumar Ndiaye of the Ford Foundation; Mr. Kosisochukwu Umeh of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC); Mr. Eze Onyekpere, Lead Director of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ); Ms. Alice Adebayo of BudgIT; Dr. Tijani Abdulkareem of the Social Economic Research and Development Centre (SERDC); Mr. Tunde Salmon of the Good Governance Team; and Mr. Uyi Osagie of the Central Results Delivery Unit in the Office of the Special Adviser on Policy Monitoring.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Mr. Onyekpere of CSJ stressed that government must back its words with concrete actions.
“For collaboration to work, budget information must be timely, accessible, and easy for citizens to track,” he said.
Similarly, Ms. Adebayo of BudgIT noted that CSOs are committed to bridging information gaps but require greater access to government data and clearer reporting on capital projects.
These interventions highlighted that while civil society groups are eager to collaborate, they also expect the government to demonstrate transparency and consistency in its engagements.
Many emphasised that inclusive governance cannot be sustained without trust and open communication.
By the end of the Abuja forum, both sides acknowledged the need for stronger partnerships.
Government representatives pledged to deepen cooperation, while CSOs promised to intensify their role in amplifying citizens’ voices and monitoring public spending.
The dialogue made clear that FG CSOs Collaboration is no longer optional but a necessity for Nigeria’s development.
With economic challenges mounting, cooperation between government and civil society offers a pathway to better accountability, smarter allocation of resources, and more responsive service delivery.
By working together, both sides can build a budgetary system that reflects the needs and aspirations of ordinary Nigerians.