World NGO Day: Strengthening government and donor support for Nigeria’s NGO sector By Judith-Ann Walker, PhD For the first time, in 2025, the contribution of local NGOs to the Nigerian economy was captured in the Other Services Sector line of the 2024 rebased Nigerian economy. Upon completion of the rebasing exercise, the Other Services Sector line, which included Nigerian NGOs’ contribution to GDP, increased by 6.2%. As the world marks World NGO Day on 27th February, rebasing the Nigerian economy to include NGOs is a progressive move that aligns well with the UN’s recognition and value of non-profits. In Nigeria, the 2026 World NGO Day is being marked at a time of USAID’s unceremonious aid exit and closure of the Mission’s NGO localisation program, which targeted and aimed to strengthe...