President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed into law a bill domesticating the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, marking a major step toward strengthening the protection and welfare of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.
The legislation, titled “Act to Give Effect to the Provisions of the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria; and for Related Matters,” received presidential assent in February.
The bill was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, alongside six other lawmakers — Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi, Khadijat Bukar Ibrahim, Blessing Onuh, Nasiru Shehu, Felix Uche Nwaeke and Steve Fatoba — as co-sponsors.
The National Assembly had earlier passed the legislation to domesticate and enforce the Kampala Convention in Nigeria, thereby providing a comprehensive legal framework for addressing internal displacement across the country.
Nigeria, alongside 32 other member states of the African Union, adopted the convention in 2009 in Kampala, Uganda. The convention commits member states to prevent displacement, protect displaced persons and provide lasting solutions to displacement crises.
The new law aims to establish legal and institutional mechanisms to prevent and mitigate the root causes of internal displacement. It also seeks to ensure the protection of the rights and dignity of IDPs in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and relevant international instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory.
Among its objectives are provisions for the protection, assistance and durable solutions for displaced persons, while clearly outlining the responsibilities of government institutions, competent authorities and non-state actors involved in humanitarian interventions.
The Act further promotes national coordination and collaboration in responding to internal displacement, with emphasis on gender-sensitive and inclusive approaches to humanitarian assistance.
Nigeria continues to face significant humanitarian challenges, with millions of citizens displaced by insurgency, banditry, farmer–herder conflicts and natural disasters. Many IDPs live in overcrowded camps with limited access to healthcare, education and other essential services.
Reacting to the development, Kalu commended Tinubu for signing the bill into law, saying the President had demonstrated commitment to addressing the plight of displaced citizens.
He urged Nigerians and the international community to support the government’s efforts in implementing the convention and tackling the root causes of displacement.
According to him, collective action is required to provide durable solutions and restore dignity to displaced persons across the country.
