Nigerian CSOs Urge Direct Access to African Court

A coalition of 24 Nigerian and international civil society organizations, including Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and Amnesty International Nigeria, has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu to grant Nigerians direct access to the African Union===African Court on Human and Peoples Rights. This involves making and depositing the declaration under Article 34(6) of the Protocol Establishing the African Union===African Court on Human and Peoples Rights. Although Nigeria ratified the Protocol in 2004, it has not yet made this optional declaration, which currently denies victims of human rights violations a critical regional avenue for justice. The coalition argues that making the declaration would significantly strengthen the protection of rights guaranteed under the African Charter, enhance state accountability, and improve oversight of powerful non-state actors, including technology companies. They cited other African Union member states like Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, and Niger, which have already made the declaration, urging Nigeria to demonstrate leadership.