Nigeria and India have signed a bilateral agreement to strengthen human rights protection, institutional capacity and access to justice, with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, pledging the Federal Government’s support for its implementation.
Fagbemi, who described the agreement as a strategic partnership between the two countries, said its success would ultimately be measured by its impact on ordinary citizens, particularly vulnerable and marginalised groups seeking justice.
The agreement, executed between the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Nigeria and its Indian counterpart, is designed to deepen institutional cooperation, facilitate knowledge transfer, promote technical exchanges and strengthen operational capacity in addressing human rights violations.
The Attorney-General gave the government’s position on Tuesday in Abuja when he received a joint delegation of the two commissions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, describing the partnership as timely, particularly in an increasingly interconnected world where effective human rights protection requires stronger legal frameworks, institutional collaboration and respect for the rule of law.
The development followed a high-level engagement between the two commissions and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), at the Supreme Court Complex, Abuja, on Monday, as part of a two-day working visit by the Indian delegation.
The Nigerian delegation was led by the Executive Secretary of NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, OFR, while the Indian delegation was headed by the Chairperson of India’s NHRC, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, accompanied by the Commission’s Joint Secretary, Mr. Samir Kumar.
Fagbemi said the partnership brought together two major democracies with shared common-law traditions, diverse populations and dynamic constitutional frameworks, expressing satisfaction with the thematic areas identified for cooperation under the agreement.
He specifically highlighted access to justice and the protection of digital rights as critical areas requiring urgent attention, particularly as emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, continue to reshape society and create new human rights concerns.
According to him, both countries must develop legal safeguards to protect data privacy, prevent algorithmic bias and safeguard civic space, while ensuring that technological advancement does not undermine fundamental freedoms.
He said the Ministry of Justice expected the two commissions to produce actionable research and policy recommendations capable of addressing these emerging challenges.
Beyond emerging technologies, the Attorney-General stressed that Nigeria’s commitment to human rights must be reflected in the practical implementation of constitutional guarantees and international obligations, rather than merely in the existence of legal provisions.
He cited the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which Nigeria domesticated through the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, as a major instrument underpinning the country’s human rights jurisprudence.
The Charter provides important protections relating to non-discrimination, human dignity, fair trial and personal liberty, reinforcing the fundamental rights guaranteed under Nigeria’s Constitution.
Fagbemi maintained that the true measure of a country’s commitment to human rights was its ability to translate constitutional provisions into accessible institutions, accountable public authorities and an independent judiciary.
He assured the Indian delegation that the Federal Ministry of Justice fully supported the bilateral initiative and was prepared to facilitate technical engagements, joint legal reviews and policy consultations aimed at improving the efficiency of the justice sector.
The Attorney-General also used the engagement to reaffirm the institutional independence of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, stressing that its autonomy was essential to its credibility and effectiveness.
He specifically drew attention to Section 6(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Amendment) Act, 2010, which provides that the Commission, in exercising its statutory functions, shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person.
According to him, the administration has continued to respect and protect the Commission’s statutory independence, describing it as fundamental to institutional integrity.
He further noted that the relationship between the NHRC and the Federal Ministry of Justice had been characterised by constructive institutional synergy, mutual respect and a shared commitment to advancing human rights.
The Attorney-General commended Ojukwu and the Nigerian commission for spearheading the bilateral initiative, while expressing appreciation to the Indian delegation for bringing its expertise and institutional experience to the partnership.
Earlier, during Monday’s engagement with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Executive Secretary of NHRC Nigeria had emphasised the complementary responsibilities of the judiciary and national human rights institutions in protecting fundamental freedoms, upholding the rule of law and ensuring access to justice.
Ojukwu identified complaint management, Alternative Dispute Resolution, security sector accountability, comparative legal research, digital rights, Artificial Intelligence ethics and environmental justice as priority areas for cooperation between both countries.
The Chief Justice reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Judiciary to human rights protection and encouraged both commissions to exchange experiences and adopt best practices, particularly in strengthening safeguards for vulnerable groups, including women, children and persons with disabilities.
The Indian delegation described the engagement as significant to relations between the two countries, noting that the MoU represented a first-of-its-kind institutional partnership for India’s National Human Rights Commission.
The agreement is expected to promote sustained institutional exchanges, strengthen complaint-handling mechanisms, improve professional capacity and encourage comparative research into legal and policy approaches to human rights protection.
The partnership also comes at a time when national human rights institutions face increasing demands to address abuses linked to security operations, discrimination, environmental degradation, digital surveillance and the misuse of emerging technologies.
For Nigeria, the collaboration offers an opportunity to strengthen its human rights enforcement architecture through international knowledge-sharing while reinforcing the independence and operational effectiveness of its national commission.
Fagbemi, however, cautioned that the ultimate benchmark of the agreement must go beyond official engagements and institutional exchanges to deliver tangible improvements in the lives of citizens, especially those most vulnerable to violations and denied access to justice.
He wished the Indian delegation a productive stay in Nigeria and expressed confidence that the partnership would advance the shared commitment of both countries to human dignity, justice and the protection of fundamental rights.
About the Author
