The League of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Kano State has faulted the recently released updated list of Non-State Actors under the State Open Government Partnership (OGP) Secretariat, describing it as “administratively weak” and lacking technical structure.
In an open letter dated April 27, 2026, addressed to the Head of Secretariat/Desk Officer of the Kano State OGP Secretariat and titled “Call for Administrative Excellence and Technical Rectification of the Kano State OGP Non-State Actors Registry,” the group said the document did not meet expected OGP standards.
Signed by its chairman, Comrade Bala Abdullahi Gaduwama, the organisation said it acknowledged efforts by the state to expand civic participation but maintained that the published list of 123 organisations was more of a basic compilation than a structured registry.
“The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is not merely a forum for social gathering; it is a globally recognised governance framework rooted in the principles of transparency, accountability, and technology-driven civic participation,” the letter stated.
The group, however, argued that for Kano State to sustain its position in subnational OGP processes, its administrative records must reflect stronger technical quality, noting that the current document lacked key elements such as metadata, version control, and authorisation details.
According to the CSOs, “a document without metadata is an ‘orphaned document’,” adding that the absence of validation dates and reference numbers created uncertainty for stakeholders.
The group also faulted the failure to classify organisations under thematic areas such as fiscal transparency, access to information, and service delivery, saying it limited the usefulness of the registry.
“This failure of categorisation means that the document provides no strategic value. It does not identify which organisation is involved in which thematic area, thereby hindering the Secretariat’s ability to convene specialised Technical Working Groups,” it stated.
On accuracy, the League alleged duplication and inconsistencies in the list, citing instances where organisations appeared more than once.
“Redundancy: AHIP is listed at both No. 1 and No. 6. KANSLAM appears at No. 61 and No. 67,” the letter noted.
It also criticised vague entries, particularly the listing of “All Media Organisations,” describing it as an administrative gap, and insisting that only identifiable legal entities should be included.
The group further pointed out the absence of contact information and verification data such as CAC registration details and focal persons, saying it weakened accountability and engagement.
“The essence of partnership is connectivity. A list that provides only names, excluding focal persons, physical addresses, and official email contacts, is a closed door rather than an open window,” it stated.
To address the identified gaps, the League recommended the adoption of a matrix-based registry containing legal names, thematic classification, focal contacts, and verification status.
It also called for the use of machine-readable formats such as Excel or CSV, alongside document identification numbers, validation dates, and digital authorisation for official OGP records.
“We must move away from the ‘simple list’ model and adopt a structured matrix. This demonstrates a commitment to data integrity, which is the bedrock of open government,” the group said.
The CSOs urged the Secretariat to suspend and review the current list, conduct a verification exercise for all listed organisations, and convene a joint validation meeting to produce a revised registry.
“Kano State has the potential to be a beacon of open governance in Africa. However, our path to excellence is paved with administrative precision and technical integrity,” it added.
The group said it was ready to support the Secretariat in developing a verified and structured registry that reflects the civic space in the state.
