By BONIFACE AKARAH

Nine civil society and civic technology organisations have formed a new alliance, the Coalition for Participatory Governance, aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and service delivery across Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“This coalition is not just another alliance of organisations,” the founding partners said in a joint statement. “It is a deliberate, structured effort to ensure that the people closest to governance failures… have the knowledge, tools, and collective voice to demand and sustain change.”

The coalition, convened by TriAfrica Empowerment Foundation and powered by BudgIT and Lagos Island Connect, brings together groups including Africa Leadership Group, Enough is Enough Nigeria, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Lagos Civil Society Participation for Development, To Build a Nation, Center for Fiscal Transparency, and Nigeria Diaspora Coalition for Change.

The partners said the initiative is designed to address governance gaps affecting citizens’ quality of life, particularly at the grassroots level.

“With Nigeria’s 2027 general elections on the horizon, participatory governance—where citizens are active stakeholders—is the foundation any credible nation-building effort must stand on,” the statement added.

According to the coalition, its activities will include community empowerment, local government capacity-building, and engagement with stakeholders across national, state, and local levels.

The group also announced its inaugural town hall meeting scheduled for May 7, 2026, where it plans to formally unveil its agenda and engage stakeholders.

“The event will introduce the CPG, outline its governance agenda, and open a conversation on accountability challenges facing Lagos Island and Nigeria,” the statement said.

As part of its early initiatives, the coalition disclosed plans for a pilot project on Lagos Island to test citizen-focused accountability tools.

“This pilot… will test new tools and approaches for citizen-facing accountability and local governance improvement,” the partners said.

The coalition invited members of the public, media, and government representatives to participate in the town hall, noting that broader engagement is central to its objectives.

The alliance said it would continue to mobilise stakeholders toward improving governance outcomes as preparations for the 2027 elections gather pace.