CoP Calls for One Registration Office for CSOs in Akwa Ibom

The Community of Practice (CoP), made up of civil society leaders, media executives, and governance stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State, has called on the state government to create a single registration office for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

The group said the proposed CSO Registry should be the only office responsible for registering civil society organisations in the state, as stated in the draft CSO Registration Bill.

This was one of the major decisions reached at the end of the CoP Civic Space Strengthening meeting on the CSO Registration Bill 2026. The meeting was organised in partnership with Global Rights in Uyo on Friday.

The stakeholders also asked the government to stop the current system where different ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) register CSOs and collect separate fees. They said the multiple registration process has wasted the time, money, and efforts of many civil society organisations.

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the stakeholders said they fully support the creation of the Akwa Ibom State CSO Registry under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. They stressed that it should be the only office for CSO registration in the state.

They also said the proposed five-member governing board of the registry should be free from political influence. According to them, civil society organisations must have the right to choose their three representatives without interference, and this should be clearly protected in the final law.

The stakeholders added that all five board members should have equal voting rights so that no individual or group can dominate the board or use it for political purposes.

They also recommended that anyone representing civil society on the board should have at least 10 years of experience in the sector, the same requirement expected of the State Registrar.

The stakeholders praised the plan to introduce digital registration and electronic document exchange for CSOs, saying it would improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency.

They also urged the media to continue advocating for the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to give priority to the bill and pass it into law without further delay.

By Lovina Emole

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