Premium Times Books is pleased to announce the release of a new title, Building on Solid Ground: Primer on Resilience and Sustainability of CSOs in Africa written by Udo Jude Ilo.
This is a path re-setting and highly innovative offering that engages with the concern of how to entrench durable institutions and organisations on the African continent, while also engaging with related questions on the roles of leadership and accountability in guaranteeing the resilience of these social enterprises.
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Even with the civil society sector as its declared entry point for outlining organisational sustainability on the continent, this book presents a model that equally serves the purposes of attaining resilience and sustainability in other sectors. Its principles and lessons are universalisable and crosscutting – whether for the public or private sector.
As another node in a series of primers started and written by Udo Jude Ilo, Building on Solid Ground continues in the tradition of an earlier intervention also published by Premium Times Books, It is Possible: Influencing Change in Nigeria, in which he articulates the difficult but very necessary process of enabling change towards the reformation of society.
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It is a change that repeated instances have shown the government as either being incapable of carrying out, without deliberate and sustained prompting, or simply lacking the commitment to undertake.
Hence the vital gap-bridging role of the civil society – and CSOs as mechanisms/tools for engaging in this crucial work; not only of building archives of knowledge or information for formal uptake, but also for embarking on the gritty work of advocacy when the government will for reform falters.
In this current offering, the focus is trained on CSOs as essential tools of executing the social reformation purpose, and mandate. As Udo Jude Ilo explains in the Introduction to Building on Solid Ground, “CSOs have increasingly become the conscience of nations, and often the only independent voices calling governments to order or providing lifesaving services to communities, thereby filling the gaps of poor leadership.”
Ilo further points out that “This primer draws from the vast experiences of practitioners, research, and training outcomes to present critical ideas that support the sustainability and resilience of CSOs.” And this book, “showcases key pointers and tested approaches that have been successful in the past and draws heavily from comparative experiences that offer practitioners new insights on managing CSOs and building enduring institutions.”
At a time when civil society organisations across Africa are squeezed between shrinking donor funding and increasingly hostile political environments, Building on Solid Ground: Primer on Resilience and Sustainability of CSOs in Africa offers a roadmap for continuing and deepening the crucial work that needs to be done.
And, as highlighted by Ilo in this book, good intentions are no longer enough to sustain impact. Although CSOs in Africa have long thrived on passion, activism, and urgency, passion without structure is fragile — and fragility is no longer an option. The warning signs raised in the book point to the weaknesses including dependence on foreign funding, poor governance systems, founder-dominated leadership, and inadequate succession planning.
What distinguishes Building on Solid Ground is its insistence on a shift in mindset. Ilo challenges civil society actors to move from activism to institution-building. And his argument ultimately aligns with broader global conversations around localisation and the decolonisation of aid. But where many of these discussions remain theoretical, this book offers something more valuable, as mentioned earlier: a roadmap.
As he informs us, “This primer offers some basic lessons and does not claim to provide all the answers or solutions. Rather, it aims to support discussions around practices that promote resilience and sustainability. It is intended as a starting point for further conversations and reflections around these important themes particularly within the African context, highlighting the unique lessons our regional dynamics offer.”
This book is structured around five core pillars — strategy, governance, talent, fundraising, and visibility — each presented not as abstract theory but as practical necessities. Strategy, for instance, is described as a “North Star” guiding organisations toward intentional and measurable impact. Governance is framed not as bureaucracy, but as a safeguard against the excesses of unchecked leadership.
Without systems of accountability, Ilo suggests, even the most visionary leaders can undermine the very institutions they seek to build. And the insistence is that sustainability is not just about money, but systems, credibility, relationships, and organisational health. Without these, funding alone cannot guarantee survival.
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Building on Solid Ground is an essential read — especially for a sector at a crossroads.
It forces a difficult but necessary reckoning: if civil society is to remain relevant, it must evolve. It must build institutions that can outlast founders, withstand funding shocks, and adapt to changing political realities.
In a space often driven by urgency and short-term wins, Ilo offers a longer view — one rooted in resilience, discipline, and intentional growth.
Building on Solid Ground: Primer on Resilience and Sustainability of CSOs in Africa, published in conjunction with Thoughts and Mace Advisory, will be presented to the public by 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, 14 May at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Auditorium, Abuja.
