Abuja: Stakeholders at a high-level meeting have called for a coordinated national volunteer framework, stressing that Nigeria’s democracy and nation-building efforts depend heavily on structured civic participation.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the High-Level Stakeholders’ National Dialogue, themed ‘The Role and Development of Volunteerism in Deepening Democracy and Democratic Governance’, was organised by Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI) in collaboration with Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room.
The Programme Officer at PGI, Benedicta Nguemo-Adyo, emphasized the need for Nigeria to build systems that align individual and organizational volunteer efforts with national needs. She highlighted the importance of a clear and unified policy to avoid fragmented efforts that do not support long-term development goals.
Nguemo-Adyo stated, “What we are trying to create right now in Nigeria is to have a coordinated front where volunteerism is at the lips of everyone but then it is within a structure. We know that we have the Nigerian National Volunteer Service, which is the government-led agency for volunteering in Nigeria and they have a policy. They are the ones leading on this. So, what PGI is trying to create now is to have a coordinated movement where persons are aware that we have an agency like this and then we have volunteers who are registered under this agency.”
The initiative aims to raise awareness about volunteerism and ensure that volunteer services are coordinated and recognized.
According to Mrs Agianpe Onyema, Secretariat Coordinator of Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, volunteerism is service without reward. She noted that it helps individuals build personal skills and contributes to national development and addressing humanitarian crises. Onyema called for a single framework to coordinate all volunteerism work and suggested yearly programs for rewarding those who engage in acts of volunteerism.
Mr Orji Stephen, a Development Lawyer Leading the Team at PGI, remarked on the timeliness of organizing the national dialogue to rally Nigerians to serve their motherland. He stated, “At PGI, we understand that volunteerism which encourages citizens to participate is one of the pillars of every functional and working democracy.”
Mr Austin Aigbe, an Election and Development expert, highlighted the informal volunteerism activities that Nigerians engage in daily, such as helping with car repairs or extinguishing fires. He emphasized the need to formalize volunteerism as a national law, which would require political will.
The Programme Manager of KDI, Mercy Abiem, praised PGI for the initiative and underscored the importance of volunteerism in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy. Abiem noted that volunteerism offers personal benefits, including skill development, confidence building, and professional networking.
Mr Chike Onaku, Principal Youths Development Officer at the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, pointed out that many NGOs act as indirect volunteers to fill gaps left by government efforts. He called for coordinated structures and advised Nigerian youths to acquire modern skills aligned with 21st-century needs before engaging in volunteer work.
Mrs Mariam Okan from the National Orientation Agency (NOA) encouraged youths to embrace volunteerism to build skills and foster patriotism and service to the nation. She mentioned that NOA has a sensitization program on the National Value Charter, which includes a component called duty of care that promotes volunteerism.