Abuja, Nigeria – August 7, 2025
In a landmark effort to reshape how justice is delivered in Nigeria, HiiL convened a one-day conference titled “Implementing People-Centred Justice: The Nigerian Story” at the Abuja Continental Hotel. The event brought together a coalition of stakeholders, from the judiciary and traditional institutions to civil society, government, and international partners, to explore data-driven pathways for making justice more accessible.
Why People-Centred Justice Matters in Nigeria
Nigeria is a country of extraordinary resilience, and equally profound legal challenges. According to HiiL’s 2025 Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) report, over 90% of Nigerians experience at least one legal problem in a four-year period. Challenges such as domestic violence, land disputes, and employment conflicts continue to impact millions, many of whom lack clear pathways to resolution. While trust in the judiciary remains relatively high, barriers like cost, complexity, and distance drive people to informal channels, family networks, traditional leaders, and community negotiation. Alarmingly, 30% of Nigerians reported experiencing domestic violence, pointing to a significant gap in access to legal protection.
A Global Framework, A Local Reality
The conference opened with a powerful welcome and a framing address by Zainab Malik, HiiL’s Senior Policy and Advocacy Advisor. Drawing from global data and lived experience, Malik described a world in the midst of a crisis of trust, with over 1 billion people exposed to violence and over 5.1 billion lacking meaningful access to justice for everyday problems. Malik emphasized that people aren’t asking for miracles.
“They’re asking for justice that works,” she said, justice that is fast, fair, effective, and affordable.
A Powerful Call for Justice: Keynote by Prince Adewole Adebayo
His Excellency, Prince Adewole Adebayo, a respected lawyer and public servant, delivered the keynote address, challenging the audience to rethink assumptions:
“Justice is not the law. The law is merely a tool that can lead to justice—or not.”
He stressed that justice must reflect local realities, human dignity, and cultural context, and argued that a truly just society may require better designed, not more, courtrooms. As a champion for peace and development, Prince Adebayo highlighted the urgent need for justice as a pathway to tackle broader societal challenges such as poverty, corruption, and social exclusion. His remarks set the tone for a day dedicated to dialogue, discovery, and solution-building.
Panel Spotlight: Proof of Concept in Nigeria
A standout moment came during the “Proof of Concept” panel, which showcased local champions implementing people-centred justice models in real-world settings. Hon. Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora of the Ogun State Judiciary shared how his perspective evolved through engagement with HiiL. He introduced Ibi Isadi, a justice hub embedded in health centres, reframing justice as a local, community-based service. Magistrate Rebecca Kuwot Suku spoke about her award-winning innovation to reduce monetary disputes through basic contracts in local languages. She emphasized the importance of non-digital, practical solutions and creating welcoming court environments for vulnerable populations.
From a different angle, Evangelist Michael O. Ikoku offered a deeply personal story. His family’s experience of injustice, losing land and pensions without recourse, fueled his determination to find community-based solutions. Starting with free radio-based dispute resolution programmes, he is now championing the Community Justice Centre model supported by HiiL, becoming its first social impact investor in Nigeria. Providing a national perspective, Hon. Bashir Maidugu, Esq., SSA to the President, highlighted the need to reform legal language, increase accessibility, and ensure community-based justice complements the formal system. He called for inclusive policies, especially for women and persons with disabilities.
Justice in Action: From Dialogue to Design
Beyond the panel discussions, participants engaged with HiiL’s People-Centred Justice approach through a hands-on experience: the PCJ Booth Tour. The tour highlighted HiiL’s methodology, spanning data collection, innovation support, legal strategy, and guidelines development, and set the stage for collaborative breakout sessions. These sessions brought together justice stakeholders to co-create practical recommendations around four key pillars: Guidelines, Justice Strategy, Innovation, and Data. Rather than abstract brainstorming, participants focused on actionable priorities rooted in community needs and institutional realities.
A Commitment to Action
The closing remarks were delivered by Mr. Fernandez Marcus-Obiene, SSA to the President on Justice Sector Reform and ICT/Digital and Innovative Technology. Representing the Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Marcus-Obiene offered a clear and pragmatic view on the path forward for Nigeria’s justice system. He emphasized that while the government holds constitutional responsibility for the welfare of its people, it cannot improve the justice sector in isolation. In his words:
“It shows that the government alone cannot make things work. We need involvement of individuals and corporate organizations local and international… One of the most significant things is implementation. … let us all deliberately take action for good to improve our justice sector.”
His remarks underscored a crucial truth: meaningful reform requires collective effort. From civil society organisations and traditional leaders to private sector partners and ordinary citizens, every actor has a role to play in translating policy into impact. HiiL reaffirmed its commitment to action, pledging to blend the insights and recommendations from the event. The goal is clear: to ensure these conversations lead to tangible improvements in justice delivery.
