Spaces for Change | S4C convened a Regulatory Compliance Clinic for twenty- organizations drawn from across six states in the middle-belt region of Nigeria. The two-day workshop, held on May 22nd and 23rd, 2024, in Ilorin, Kwara State, aimed to enhance the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) to comply with relevant national and international laws and regulations applicable to charities.
One of the sessions focused on board composition, policies, enforcement, corporate governance, and internal controls. Participants gained insights into the selection of governing board members, the distinct roles of the Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees, and measures to ensure checks and balances. Another key highlight of the Clinic was the session focusing on anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) through which participants became aware of the various ways non-profits can inadvertently become accomplices in money laundering or terrorist financing activities.
Participants’ understanding of the lessons learned was assessed using various techniques, including group exercises and written tests. The participants affirmed they will take steps to apply the knowledge gained to improve their governance systems, internal processes and regulatory compliance culture. The Regulatory Compliance Clinic, convened under the Civic Space Resource Hub (CSR-Hub) project, is supported by the Ford Foundation.
