The Role of Civil Society Organisations in Shaping Nigeria’s Human Rights Foreign Policy: A South West Perspective

This study investigates the influence of civil society organisations (CSOs) on Nigeria's human rights commitments in its foreign policy, drawing on evidence from advocacy groups based in the South West geopolitical zone, particularly Lagos and Ibadan. Nigeria has ratified numerous international human rights instruments, yet compliance with these obligations remains inconsistent. Civil society actors have increasingly engaged with foreign embassies, United Nations treaty bodies, and bilateral donor governments to press for policy change. Grounded in pluralist theory and the concept of transnational advocacy networks, this research examines how selected CSOs have mobilised resources, framed issues, and engaged with state institutions to shape Nigeria's external human rights conduct between 2020 and 2024. A qualitative methodology is adopted, combining semi-structured interviews with CSO executives and document analysis of advocacy reports, shadow submissions, and diplomatic correspondence. The study identifies three thematic areas, namely press freedom, gender rights, and anti-torture advocacy, as primary arenas of CSO foreign policy influence. Findings are expected to show that CSO influence is significant but uneven, constrained by limited access to foreign policy decision-making structures and inconsistent government responsiveness. The research offers practical recommendations for institutionalising civil society input into Nigeria's human rights diplomacy. Keywords: civil society, human rights, foreign policy, Nigeria, transnational advocacy.