NGF and HiiL expand people-focused justice initiatives across Nigeria
Abdulateef Shittu, Director-General of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), announced efforts to promote community-based, people-centred justice models nationwide. The NGF, HiiL, and the Attorneys-General of all 36 states are collaborating to improve access to justice at state and community levels. Pilot projects in Plateau, Kaduna, and Adamawa have shown positive results, and there are plans to extend these models to all states. Ijeoma Nwafor of HiiL highlighted the importance of recognising informal justice mechanisms to make justice more accessible and affordable.
Key takeaways
- Abdulateef Shittu stated that peace-building commissions have been piloted in Plateau, Kaduna, and Adamawa, and are now functioning as a network.
- The NGF aims to institutionalise these commissions across all 36 states to improve conflict resolution and justice delivery.
- Ijeoma Nwafor of HiiL emphasised the value of people-centred justice and the need for measurable tools and technical support.
- The initiative encourages states to adapt justice reform ideas to their local contexts and implement community-focused projects.
- Recognising informal justice mechanisms is seen as a way to make legal processes more affordable, timely, and accessible for communities.
