Spaces for Change.S4C

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Spaces for Change.S4C

Spaces for Change (S4C) is a non-profit organization working to infuse human rights into social and economic governance processes in Nigeria.

Spaces for Change (S4C) started as an online youth movement that connects voices of agents committed to changing the social ills in the environments in which they live. Recognizing that vast numbers of Nigerians live without opportunity for gainful employment, or adequate housing, food, and health care, while government officials embezzle billions of dollars into foreign bank accounts, S4C believe

s that it is the culture of silence that allows impunity to thrive. Now determined to address these violations of the rights of the Nigerian people, S4C creates spaces, and a coordinated platform for Nigerian youth to express their views, share their experiences, tell real life stories and post pictures of situations that they would want reversed. Are you an agent of change? Then join us today!!!"

16/04/2026

We are very excited to launch our latest report - VICTIMS SPEAK: Techniques, Patterns and Impact of Targeted Surveillance in Nigeria - during our panel session at the 2026 Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum ( ) currently taking place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The new report documented the firsthand experiences of victims, outlining the triggers, the techniques used, the patterns identified, and the impact of targeted surveillance on civic actors, particularly journalists, activists, protesters, and other persons.

The panel session also featured a powerful testimony by a surveillance victim and the real-life consequences of being surveilled. A team of experts from civil society, law enforcement, and the digital rights community dissected the findings, exploring the legal, human rights, and accountability tensions associated with unlawful surveillance practices across Africa.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT 📘 : https://shorturl.at/H7hFp

14/04/2026

Nigeria's tri-sector dialogue continued its collaborative problem-solving mandate at the 4th General Meeting of the Multi-Stakeholder Working Group on Charities (MSWGC), held in Lagos last week. The gathering brought together a tri-sectoral mix of NPO representatives, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and regulatory authorities to sustain their joint efforts toward improving financial access for Nigeria’s non-profits.

With many NPOs still constrained by layers of compliance requirements that restrict their access to financial services and formal payment channels, stakeholders examined specific cases of restrictions, especially those arising from foreign exchange (FX) transactions and banks' onboarding procedures. These enhanced measures enforced by financial institutions in a blanket manner are not only contrary to the outcomes of the national TF risk assessment of the NPO sector, but are also adding to pre-existing regulatory burdens.

Solving these challenges requires continuous multi-stakeholder dialogue, risk-informed empathy, and adherence to the risk-based approach consistent with the revised FATF Recommendation 8.

13/04/2026

In this month's newsletter, we reflect on some of our March activities.

From our participation in the official kick-off of the 2nd National Risk Assessment of the NPO Sector, co-convening the 4th Learning and Practice Workshop in Togo, to drumming up support for the Human Rights Defenders Bill at the public hearing in Abuja, and partnering to 'Center Gender in Extractive Justice' in Senegal, our activities cut across our civic space protection, women and gender inclusion, and extractive justice desks respectively.

Click the link to read more👉 https://shorturl.at/iU1bt

10/04/2026

🚨3 DAYS TO 🚨

Join SPACES FOR CHANGE for an interactive session at the Digital Rights Inclusion Forum (DRIF) in Abidjan, where we will be discussing the theme: The Impact of Surveillance in Africa: Accountability Gaps and Policy Recommendations.

See the flyer for more details 👇

09/04/2026

Please join SPACES FOR CHANGE and ESCR-Net in solidarity with the residents of Makoko on this collective call for justice!⚖️📢

What is happening in Makoko is not just a local issue; it reflects a broader pattern of displacement driven by unequal urban development.

Located along the Lagos lagoon, Makoko sits on land increasingly targeted for high-value urban and luxury projects. Under the guise of “development,” communities are being pushed out to make way for investment and profit.

We must come together to challenge these injustices and support communities defending their homes, their livelihoods, and their futures.

Sign the letter and amplify this call 📢👇

✒️ https://shorturl.at/q7ZKT

08/04/2026

In what ways do activities in the extractive sector affect men and women differently? How can advocacy groups continuously ensure that gender is placed at the heart of extractive justice advocacy initiatives?

These questions, and more, formed the crux of the deliberations at the second learning session organised under the Centering Gender in Extractive Sector project, convened by SPACES FOR CHANGE and the Centre de Recherche et d’Action sur les Droits Economiques, Sociaux et Culturels (Cradesc) on the 30th - 31st of March in Dakar, Senegal.

Bringing together Ford Foundation partners working on extractive governance and gender justice, the 2-day session provided a platform for candid discussions and reflections on progress made since the inaugural session, key gaps in mainstreaming gender, and practical ways to strengthen gender integration within institutional systems and advocacy.

Discussions cut across key themes, including 'representation versus influence', with participants noting that representation alone is insufficient without meaningful influence in decision-making spaces. Other themes explored include gender and power analysis, implications of the global energy transition, and notable concerns around institutional culture, with participants recognizing the risk that emerging energy systems could reproduce existing inequalities if gender considerations are not deliberately integrated.

As the session drew to a close, participants identified practical pathways for advancing gender-transformative approaches that can strengthen inclusive decision-making, improve gender integration within institutions, and support more equitable outcomes for communities.

02/04/2026

Will you be participating in this year's edition of the Digital Rights Inclusion Forum (DRIF) in Abidjan?

Catch up with SPACES FOR CHANGE at our session, where we will discuss the theme: The Impact of Surveillance in Africa: Accountability Gaps and Policy Recommendations.

See the flier for more details 👇

31/03/2026

30 representatives of civil society, regulatory bodies, government institutions, and security agencies attended the 4th Learning and Practice Workshop (LPW) on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)'s Recommendation 8 organized by SPACES FOR CHANGE, in partnership with West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-TOGO).

Drawing on lessons and experiences from Nigeria, the workshop deepened participants’ knowledge of FATF standards, while enhancing their capacity to apply focused, proportionate, and risk-based approaches to address terrorism financing (TF) risks in the NPO sector. Authorities learned how national risk assessments and mutual evaluation processes provide the necessary levers for protecting the integrity of legitimate non-profits without undermining their important work.

Through the LPW, SPACES FOR CHANGE remains committed to supporting countries across West Africa to achieve full compliance with FATF's Recommendation 8 while safeguarding the civic space.

27/03/2026

ARE YOU READY FOR THE BIGGEST CIVIL SOCIETY-LED AML/CFT CONVENING IN AFRICA? 🤩

We are delighted to announce the 3rd edition of the annual Africa High-Level Civil Society Conference on AML/CFT on July 14-17, 2026, at the Abuja Intercontinental Hotel in Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.

Bringing together over 200 delegates 👥 from 40 countries 🌍, including representatives of African governments, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), FATF regional style bodies (FSRBs), non-profit organizations, law enforcement agencies, regional bodies, regional economic communities, financial intelligence units, financial institutions, diplomatic communities, self-regulatory bodies, academia, indigenous groups and international organizations, this edition is convened around the theme: IMPLEMENTING FATF RECOMMENDATION 8 CORRECTLY: PRACTICES, LESSONS LEARNED AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR REFORM.

Discussions will focus on ways to build locally rooted solutions to curb financial crimes on the African continent while ensuring that measures to combat money laundering and terrorism financing in Africa do not disrupt civil society or harm local communities.

Click this link to register 👉🏿https://shorturl.at/Bg0Ib

For more enquiries or support towards this conference, please contact: [email protected]

26/03/2026

The recent development project in Jabi Lake constitutes a threat to a delicate ecosystem. We stand in solidarity with the protesters in demanding that people and the environment be placed at the center of not just Abuja, but Nigeria's urban development agenda. 🙏👇

24/03/2026

Spaces for Change.S4C is pleased to unveil an "Analysis of the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill (HB 1867)", which seeks to address attacks on human rights defenders (HRDS) through a dedicated statutory framework.

Against the backdrop of sustained pressure against the civic space in Nigeria over the years, including restrictions on association, digital surveillance, online harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention of dissenters, and reprisals against activists and civic actors, the Bill is celebrated for its recognition of the rights of individuals defending human rights and the creation of legal mechanisms for the protection of their rights as human rights defenders. However, certain shortcomings plague this legislation, raising awareness of potential areas for improvement.

Consequently, this policy brief examines the Bill’s key strengths, identifies areas of concern, and proposes recommendations to strengthen clarity, enforceability, and constitutional coherence.

Click this link to download 👉🏿 https://shorturl.at/lujvc.

18/03/2026

Last week, SPACES FOR CHANGE joined the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) at the flag-off ceremony for the review of Nigeria's terrorism financing risk assessment of the nonprofit sector. The re-assessment will provide updated evidence of the terrorism financing risks, trends, and threats in the NPO sector as well as inform the development of risk-based supervisory/monitoring measures that protect the sector without disrupting their legitimate activities.

Address

Www. Spacesforchange. Org
Lagos

Telephone

+2347036202074

Website

http://www.spacesforchange.org/

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