Abuja – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed into law a bill that domestically enforces the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), marking a key step toward safeguarding the welfare of displaced Nigerians.
The legislation, formally 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, with six other lawmakers — Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi, Khadijat Bukar Ibrahim, Blessing Onuh, Nasiru Shehu, Felix Uche Nwaeke, and Steve Fatoba — serving as co-sponsors.
Passed earlier by the National Assembly, the law provides a comprehensive legal framework for addressing internal displacement in Nigeria in line with the Kampala Convention, which Nigeria adopted alongside 32 other African Union member states in 2009. The convention obliges member states to prevent displacement, protect displaced persons, and implement durable solutions to displacement crises.
The new law establishes legal and institutional mechanisms aimed at tackling the root causes of internal displacement while protecting the rights and dignity of IDPs, consistent with Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and relevant international agreements. It outlines the roles and responsibilities of government agencies, competent authorities, and non-state actors in humanitarian interventions.
Additionally, the Act promotes national coordination in responding to displacement and emphasizes gender-sensitive and inclusive approaches to humanitarian assistance. This development comes as Nigeria continues to face widespread displacement due to insurgency, banditry, farmer–herder conflicts, and natural disasters, with many IDPs living in overcrowded camps with limited access to basic services.
Reacting to the signing, Kalu praised President Tinubu for demonstrating commitment to improving the lives of displaced citizens. He called on Nigerians and the international community to support efforts to implement the convention and address the root causes of displacement, emphasizing the need for collective action to restore dignity and provide lasting solutions for displaced persons.
