Nigeria Moves to Amend 2003 Child Rights Act Amid Enforcement Gaps
ABUJA—Key legal and development stakeholders have launched a major legislative push to overhaul the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003, aiming to bridge the stark divide between statutory protections and the harsh realities faced by Nigerian children.
The initiative commenced at a three-day National Stakeholders’ Engagement in Abuja, organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice in partnership with UNICEF and International IDEA. The review comes 23 years after the original law was enacted to align Nigeria with United Nations standards.
Speaking at the opening, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN—represented by the Solicitor-General, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba—emphasised that child welfare is core to national stability. “Child rights are fundamental to human capital development, national security, and sustainable development,” Fagbemi stated, noting that safeguarding children is central to President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda.
He challenged participants to move beyond ceremonial reviews and actively address the implementation gap.
The judiciary also pledged its full backing. Justice Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, representing the President of the Court of Appeal, and Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho (represented by Justice James Omotosho), noted that modern threats like the digital age, severe insecurity, child labour, and child marriage require updated legal frameworks.
Justice Tsoho stressed that statutory justice must be backed by child-friendly court procedures and closer coordination with traditional and religious institutions to protect vulnerable children from judicial trauma.
