WHY BANITO WAS RIGHT ABOUT NGO - PART TWO

HOW TO START AN NGO IN NIGERIA

STEPS TOWARDS STARTING AN NGO

The steps towards starting an NGO vary from country to country and depend on the rules and legislation of the country one wants to start up one’s organization. One will need to explore the details by studying and familiarizing with the local requirements. To do this, you will need to follow these steps:

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CONSIDER JOINING AN NGO: You can join an NGO as an employee or as a volunteer. Before setting up your actions plans, get a firsthand experience of working with like minds through active participation in a similar situation you want to dive into; this approach helps one to avoid duplication, gives one a sense of direction, gain public support and avoid competition.

DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN: Every goal and aspiration in life whether profit or non-profit requires strategic planning.  It gives one a direction and a clear vision where one is coming from, is presently and where one is going. Your NGO plan should include the name of the organization, Values, Vision, Mission, Goals, Objective, Means of Fund Creation, Purpose and more. Your plans should be subject to review and amendments as you processed. Once you have a solid plan, you are a step away from starting an NGO.

REGISTER WITH CAC: Before registering with CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission), it is strongly recommended that you obtain help from an accredited solicitor of CAC to help you with the pre/post-incorporation matters of the NGO.

The first step with CAC is the registration of the name of your NGO; like every new business, a new NGO must have a name and must be registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The name of the NGO you are creating should correspond with your interest as there are diverse interests in humanitarian activities like, women affairs, poverty alleviation in rural area, religious movement, youth empowerment skill acquisition, human right, education etc. The corporate affairs can also conduct a name search for you if your chosen name for the NGO already exists. Do well to experiment; brainstorm with different names, and once the suitable name has been determined, you proceed on registering the name with a given certificate from CAC.

SUBMISSION OF INCORPORATE TRUSTEE (IT) FORM: you are given a form (IT Form 1) by the CAC to fill, sign and submit with the following documents:

• ·       Letter of Application

• ·       The NGO's constitution drafted by the Solicitor will set out rules that would govern the internal affairs of the NGO, the aims and objectives of the NGO, the governance structure, names of members of the Board of Trustees, the statement of purpose, etc.

• ·       Drafting of Minutes of Meeting (MoM) where trustees were appointed, signed by the chairman and secretary.

• ·       Drafting of MoM where special rules were adopted, signed by the chairman and the secretary respectively.

• ·       Your solicitor guides you on the declaration of Trustee forms at the High Court (You may choose a Federal High Court or a State High Court) and guides you on filing the relevant documents with the Corporate Affairs Commission for the incorporation of the NGO.

PUBLICATION OF NOTICE: In compliance with law, the notice of establishing the NGO with the chosen name is to be published in three (3) national dailies, basically where the NGO to be established is situated. The content of the publication will include the registered name, names of trustees, aims and objectives. A call for objections is given within 28 days of the registration and the publication respectively.

NGO CERTIFICATE COLLECTION: To collect your certificate of incorporation, a certain amount is paid to CAC, which can be payable online or at the bank.

OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT IN THE NAME OF THE NGO: This is very important because opening a bank account in the NGO's name shows that your NGO is official and you are ready to begin to obtain financial support from the public and receive donations; you will need the NGO's Certificate of Incorporation issued by Corporate Affairs Commission to open a bank account.

BENEFITS OF STARTING AN NGO

Challenges are starting up an NGO and many benefits, in the
long run, maintaining an NGO. The benefits include:

·       It becomes a corporate body with legal rights to operate publicly.

·  Under its common seal it can acquire properties like land, own fixed assets and incur liabilities.

·       Operate tax-deductible transactions as it is registered as a not-for-profit organization.

·        It can be protected from personal liability and from unlimited liability for bankruptcy, foreclosure, judgment debt recovery, or divorce proceedings that may occur.

·        NGO has an unlimited life span and will continue to exist even if the founder or trustees die or leave the NGO. An NGO's existence will only cease if it is formally wound up by the Order of Court. Amongst other benefits, this allows your organization to outlive you and even generations to come.

·       Ability to open and operate a bank account in the NGO name is an important asset to your NGO because it is one of the clearest signs that you are transparent. 

BASIC ATTRIBUTES NEEDED TO BECOMING AN NGO TRUSTEE

Passion: You must have that strong drive to believe that you will succeed in your purpose of establishing an NGO.

A Self-Starter: You must be a go-getter and someone who can be self-motivating. No one starts anything for anyone.

Committed to Hard Work: You must be ready to persevere. Managing a nonprofit takes a lot of long hours, hard work and commitment to persevere through challenging times.

Innovative Thinker: This is one of the most important attributes as non-profit ventures depend on innovative ideas to help solve their social problem more effectively and efficiently.

A Motivator: To get others to wholeheartedly support your cause you should be capable of attracting and inspiring stakeholders to not only believe but to take action.

Team Player: Building an NGO takes a team of people. While one person may have established the vision or mission, it is the team (volunteers, donors, staff members) who make it a reality.

Good Listener: Being a team player requires you to be a good listener, capable of receiving feedback and criticism while respecting the viewpoints of others.

Flexible: Being open to feedback means that you must be flexible to deliberate and adjust your plans and strategies for the benefit of the NGO.

Financially Knowledgeable and Responsible: Sustaining an NGO requires financial acumen. You must know or have a solid idea as it relates to fundraising, budgeting, taxes, and financial accountability and transparency.

Always Willing to Learn: You must be ready to learn from others; this empowers you to lead with confidence, speak on and about the NGO’s social problem with authority and to be actively involved in almost every aspect of the functioning of your NGO.

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WHY BANITO WAS RIGHT ABOUT NGO - PART ONE 

WHY BANITO WAS RIGHT ABOUT NGO - PART THREE