ABSTRACT

Civil society organisations have played a major role in the restoration of not only democracy in Nigeria, but they have also acted as a vanguard in ensuring good governance, even during the military regimes. With the return to democratic government in Nigeria in 1999, it was due to their pressure on the military government. In assessing the role of CSO in the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria. The paper adopted the structural-Functional analysis of Branislow Malinowski and Radcliffe Brown (1920s). It employed a secondary method of data collection and analysed the data contextually. In the findings, the paper realised that CSOs have done so much in the institutionalisation of democracy in Nigeria in the current dispensation. There is a lack of unity among different CSOs, and their financial base is weak. As a result, they are sometimes tempted to resort to the government for financial support, and some of their members seek government appointments. Therefore, making them weak in holding the government accountable in discharging its responsibility. The paper therefore recommends synergy among CSOs and the ability to improve their financial capacity to enhance their independence. :