The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the implementation of Nigeria’s National Action Plan (NAP) on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights thereby strengthening human rights accountability in Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, OFR, SAN, in his welcome address at the NAP questionnaire validation meeting by stakeholders in Abuja, noted that the NAP is rooted in the 1993 Vienna Declaration, which calls on nations to adopt national human rights strategies that are measurable and assessable.
He recalled that the development of the NAP followed a decade of extensive consultations led by the NHRC, culminating in Federal Executive Council approval and its deposit at the United Nations in Geneva.
Describing the NAP as a guiding document, Ojukwu emphasized that 2026 marks its midterm implementation period, making the validation exercise both timely and strategic.
According to the Learned Silk, the Commission is embarking on massive sensitisation efforts and deliberate, comprehensive tracking of progress made so far in the implementation of the NAP. He stressed that this will mark the first time the NAP document is sent to the local government areas across the nation.
The stakeholders went through the questionnaire on the implementation of NAP and made some inputs.
“The questionnaire covers all categories of rights, including Business and Human Rights. Validation is not merely procedural; it is fundamental,” he stressed, urging stakeholders to provide constructive feedback to ensure the tool is robust, practical, and fit for purpose.
In her remarks, the NAP Consultant who is also a former NHRC Director, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwakama, mni, presented the monitoring framework, which includes the development of a State Human Rights Index, verification of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) through fieldwork, and integration of findings into the 2026 annual human rights report.
The validation meeting is expected to strengthen accountability mechanisms and enhance coordinated implementation of the National Action Plan across the country.
NAP is a key policy document developed by the NHRC and other stakeholders, outlining strategies for advancing human rights in Nigeria.
