NNNGO

𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 ₦𝟭𝟲.𝟰 – 𝟭𝟳.𝟱 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁, 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 Lagos, Nigeria, October 22, 2026. The Nigeria Network of NGOs (NNNGO) has released The Economic Impact of Nonprofits in Nigeria, an evidence report quantifying the economic contribution of its 𝟰,𝟮𝟯𝟰 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Present in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, the membership carries a combined annual operating income of at least ₦𝟭𝟭.𝟳 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 (approximately ₦12.5 billion across the full membership). With supply-chain and wage effects applied using a conservative 1.4 multiplier, the total annual economic footprint is estimated at ₦16.4 – 17.5 billion, with a plausible range of ₦14 – 22.5 billion. “Nigeria’s nonprofits are not merely providers of social services. They are serious economic actors, employers, customers of local businesses, and generators of further activity across every state,” said Oyebisi Babatunde Oluseyi Executive Director of the Nigeria Network of NGOs. “While the limitations of the data are real and the figures may not capture the full scale of the sector, what this report offers is the start of a national conversation on the true economic impact of the nonprofit sector. It signals the economic footprint of the sector and is a true reflection of where Nigerian nonprofits are creating both social and economic value. Recognising and measuring this contribution more fully is the first step to resourcing civil society in proportion to the value it creates.” The report draws on four evidence bases: the NNNGO membership database; an inventory of nonprofit and civil society events held between 2023 and mid-2026; a verified review of Nigerian university programme pages; and documented member impact features mapped to the Sustainable Development Goals. Key findings include: 🟦 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 3,100 – 6,900 full-time-equivalent paid posts, plus volunteer effort equivalent to roughly a further 2,700 posts. The paid workforce is drawn in part from a pipeline spanning 13 universities and five academic disciplines, although no Nigerian university yet offers a dedicated nonprofit-management degree. 🟦𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Significant recurring demand for hospitality, aviation, catering, transport, printing, professional services, commercial space (estimated ₦1.3 - 3.2 billion annually) and near-universal telecommunications and internet services. Events alone generate an estimated ₦0.9 - b2.7 billion in annual local spending. 🟦𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Education-focused organisations hold the largest pool of resources at ₦4.84 billion. Advocacy organisations are the most capitalised on average (₦3.67 million). 🟦𝗦𝗗𝗚𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆: Documented member impact features address 12 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, with local organisations frequently serving as the last-mile delivery mechanism that neither government nor the market reliably reaches. The report is explicit about its limitations. Budgets are self-reported in bands rather than audited, the open top band is valued at a conservative floor, and the data covers one large network rather than every nonprofit in Nigeria. Almost every limitation identified points toward understatement. Yet even with these caveats, the evidence signals a clear economic footprint and accurately reflects the areas in which the sector is generating both social and economic value. On top of the measurable market footprint sits social value - in education, health, livelihoods, inclusion, democracy and the rule of law that cannot be fully reduced to a monetary figure and adds to, rather than competes with, the economic case. nnngo.org/press-release-nige… The full report is available for download on the NNNGO website nnngo.org/the-economic-impac…