CSOs Raise Alarm Over Slow Open Government Reforms, Demand Immediate Signing of OGP Action Plan IV
By Chimezie Godfrey
Leading civil society organisations and governance advocates have called on the Federal Government to urgently revive Nigeria’s open governance reform process by signing and implementing the fourth National Action Plan under the Open Government Partnership (OGP), warning that weak political commitment, poor funding and slow implementation are undermining transparency and public trust in governance.
The groups made the call on Monday during activities marking the 2026 Open Government Partnership Week, a global initiative that brings together governments, civil society organisations and reform advocates to promote transparency, accountability, citizen participation and anti-corruption reforms across member countries.
Nigeria joined the Open Government Partnership in July 2016 and has since developed and implemented three National Action Plans aimed at improving fiscal transparency, digital governance, beneficial ownership disclosure, public accountability and civic participation. However, stakeholders say implementation of many commitments has remained slow and inconsistent despite growing governance challenges across the country.
In a joint statement delivered during the event, the organisations expressed concern over what they described as widening implementation gaps within Nigeria’s open governance framework, stressing that the country risks losing the gains recorded since joining the global initiative if urgent corrective measures are not taken.
The statement was jointly presented by the Chief Executive Officer of Public and Private Development Centre, Lucy James Abagi, and the Director of Initiative for Research Innovation and Advocacy in Development, Princess Hamman-Obels.
The coalition noted that although Nigeria has recorded some progress in areas such as fiscal transparency, digital reforms and citizen engagement, many of the commitments contained in previous National Action Plans have either suffered delays or remain only partially implemented.
According to the groups, weak institutional coordination, inadequate funding, poor monitoring systems and inconsistent political support across government institutions continue to limit the effectiveness of the OGP process in Nigeria.
“As the global community commemorates the 2026 Open Government Partnership Week, we call attention to the slow pace of implementation of open government reforms in Nigeria and the urgent need for stronger government commitment to the OGP process,” the statement said.
The coalition warned that the inability of government institutions to fully implement reform commitments could weaken public confidence in governance and reduce citizen participation in democratic processes.
The organisations stressed that open government reforms must move beyond ceremonial declarations and become measurable actions capable of improving service delivery, transparency and accountability in public institutions.
“We are particularly concerned that despite the importance of the OGP process in strengthening democratic governance, many commitments contained in previous National Action Plans have either witnessed partial implementation or suffered delays due to lack of sustained political will and inadequate resource allocation,” the groups stated.
The coalition therefore called on the Federal Government to urgently sign the National Action Plan IV and commence immediate implementation of its commitments.
The groups also urged government authorities to provide sustainable funding for the OGP process and demonstrate stronger political commitment towards implementing reforms across ministries, departments and agencies.
According to them, effective coordination and accountability mechanisms are essential to tracking progress and ensuring that governance reforms translate into practical benefits for ordinary Nigerians.
The statement further demanded the creation of more inclusive governance spaces that would allow citizens, civil society organisations and development partners to participate meaningfully in public decision-making processes.
“Open government reforms must go beyond policy declarations and translate into concrete actions that improve transparency, public accountability, service delivery, and citizen confidence in government institutions,” the coalition added.
The groups further appealed to development partners, government institutions, civil society organisations and citizens to use the opportunity provided by OGP Week 2026 to renew collective commitment towards building an accountable, participatory and transparent governance system in Nigeria.
They stressed that the country must “reflect, rethink and redouble collective effort toward effective service delivery and sustainable development.”
The statement was jointly endorsed by several organisations including Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Socio-Economic Research and Development Centre, BudgIT, Public and Private Development Centre, Initiative for Research Innovation and Advocacy in Development and other governance advocacy groups.
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