16/07/2026
From Inception to Abuja: Celebrating Leadership, Compliance, and Civic Impact!
At the Pan African Purpose-Driven Women Initiative (PAPDWI), we believe that leading with purpose also means leading with structure, excellence, and compliance!
On Monday, July 13, 2026, our Executive Director, Oluwatoyin Olukanni-Ogedengbe, was live at the prestigious Ladi Kwali Hall, Abuja Continental Hotel, for the historic close-out and launch of the End-of-Project Report and the 2025 State Ranking Dashboard by Global Rights and the European Union!
This event marked the climax of a transformational three-year journey to strengthen the CSO regulatory environment in Nigeria. For PAPDWI, this journey has been close to our hearts. Our Executive Director had the distinct privilege of serving on the National Steering Committee for the Community of Practice (CoP) on Civic Space Strengthening, and as a Member of the 4-man Oyo State Steering Committee.
Looking back, we are incredibly proud of the active roles and milestones achieved through this project:
Continuous Learning: Participating from the inception meeting through various high-level training sessions from Uyo to Abuja to Port harcourt to Abeokuta to Ibadan.
Local Leadership & Capacity Building:
Part of the committee that mobilised CSOs for the two sessions of training conducted in two different batches at two different times for about 60 CSOs in Oyo State.
Mobilised over 50 CSOs for the critical Anti-Money Laundering/ Counter Terrorism (AML/CFT) training right here in Ibadan at the EFCC Office.
Amplifying Voices: Representing the region as a Panelist at the South West Regional Conference in Ibadan, addressing scaling policy to action:strenthening the regulatory environment for sustainable CSO operations in south west, Nigeria( overcoming hurdles and fostering collaboration)
We want to express our immense gratitude to the incredible facilitators and visionaries who made this project a masterclass in development—most notably Baiyewu Rights (Executive Director, Global Rights), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu (Chairman of the Governing Board), Program Managers Edosa Oviawe and Noya Sedi,Tope Erinomo Non-Profit Organization (NPO) Desk Officer for the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) under the EFCC,Anas Abdullahi, core technical training on tax laws and exemptions for Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs),Mr. Mark Iria Ikheloa: Representative and compliance expert from the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) under the EFCC; co-facilitated the practical sessions on AML and countering the financing of terrorism, Prof. Adekunle Adedeji, SAN who took sessions onTax Act, CAMA, and general Anti-Money Laundering frameworks and others.
As Prof. Chidi Odinkalu powerfully shared at the close-out: "Compliance is not a project; compliance is a culture."
At PAPDWI, we are taking this charge forward, ensuring our structures remain resilient, transparent, and ready to drive sustainable development.
Thank you, Global Rights and the European Union, for empowering us to be a vital part of this success story!
To other organizations: What internal compliance steps are you taking today to strengthen your operations?
Let's discuss in the comments below!