ABUJA – The Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Court) has expressed concern over Nigeria’s failure to enforce its rulings, revealing that 80% of its judgments remain unimplemented.
The disclosure was made by the ECOWAS Court President, Justice Ricardo Goncalves, during a courtesy visit to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kudirat Kekere-Ekun at the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja. Justice Goncalves said the visit aimed to solicit the CJN’s support to improve enforcement of the court’s decisions in Nigeria.
“If Nigeria enforces the court’s judgments, other member states will follow suit,” he stated, stressing the need for political will to ensure compliance.
CJN Calls for Guidelines to Facilitate Enforcement
In her response, CJN Kekere-Ekun praised the ECOWAS Court for its “landmark and impressive judgments on the enforcement of fundamental human rights in the sub-region.” She acknowledged that implementation of verdicts largely rests with the executive arm of government, and encouraged the court to develop uniform guidelines to facilitate enforcement by member states.
She also urged broad consultations with stakeholders to rework existing procedures and pledged support in judicial training through the National Judicial Institute (NJI).
The meeting was attended by three other Supreme Court Justices—Inyang Okoro, Adamu Jauro, and Chioma Iheme-Nwosu.
Government Concerns Over Unenforceable Orders
In 2024, the Federal Government of Nigeria had urged the ECOWAS Court to refrain from issuing judgments considered “unenforceable” in member states. The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN noted that some rulings were “practically incapable of enforcement” and emphasized the need to promote alternative dispute resolution mechanisms across West Africa.
Justice Goncalves and the CJN agreed that stronger cooperation, clear procedures, and political will are essential for Nigeria to set a positive example in the region.
