President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice Pays Courtesy Visit to the Chief Judge of Lagos State

By: Michael Mike

As part of the preparation for its upcoming External Court Sessions and sensitization campaign scheduled to take place respectively from 5 to 7 May and from 8 to 16 May 2025 in Lagos, the President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, led an advance delegation of the Court to Lagos from 28 April to 4 May 2025.
 
On 30 April 2025, the President paid a courtesy visit to the Chief Judge of Lagos State at the Lagos High Court’s premises, during which both judicial leaders engaged in a rich and forward-looking discussion on legal collaboration, institutional challenges, and the role of regional justice mechanisms in West Africa.
 
Welcoming the delegation, Honorable Justice Kazeem Olanrewaju Alogba, the Chief Judge of Lagos State expressed deep appreciation for the visit, describing it as an honour to host such a distinguished judicial institution. He commended the ECOWAS Court for its high standards of jurisprudence and its commitment to justice in the sub-region. Acknowledging the Court’s achievements, he emphasized the importance of continued collaboration and exchange between national and regional judicial bodies.
 
The Chief Judge provided an overview of the Lagos State Judiciary’s structure and recent developments, including its expansion across five judicial divisions (Lagos Island, Ikeja, Epe, Badagry, and Ikorodu) and newer courts in high-density areas like Iba and Yaba. He also outlined plans to establish more courts along underserved areas such as the Apapa–Badagry corridor, with support from local authorities and the judiciary’s leadership.
 
While highlighting that the judiciary in Lagos enjoys a fair degree of government support, the Chief Judge noted infrastructural constraints, particularly the adaptation of their current facility following the destruction of the previous High Court during the #EndSARS protests.
 
On the issue of enforcement of regional court decisions, the Chief Judge echoed a familiar challenge: the difficulty of enforcing judgments in sovereign states with diverse political climates. He noted, however, that international charters must be respected once ratified, and that the existence of judicial bodies like the ECOWAS Court play a vital role in ensuring legal accountability and curbing impunity, even when direct enforcement mechanisms are limited.
 
In his response, President Ricardo who was accompanied by his Vice president, Honorable justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma  and Dr. Yaouza Ouro-Sama, the Chief Registrar of the Court expressed gratitude to the Chief Judge and his colleagues for the warm welcome and institutional support. He emphasized that the visit and upcoming court activities in Lagos would not have been possible without their cooperation. He took the opportunity to extend a formal invitation to the Chief Judge to attend the opening ceremony of the ECOWAS Court’s next judicial year, expected to take place in October or November 2025.
 
President Ricardo acknowledged the withdrawal of three member states from ECOWAS, which has reduced the number of participating states in the Court from 15 to 12. He described the development as regrettable but affirmed the Court’s continued commitment to its mandate.
 
He also outlined the ECOWAS Court’s core jurisdictions, which include: human rights protection (representing over 80% of its caseload), interpretation and application of ECOWAS legal instruments, disputes involving community civil servants, and advisory legal opinions to ECOWAS institutions.
 
Finally, the President highlighted the upcoming sensitization campaign, to be held from 5 to 7 May 2025 in Lagos, aimed at increasing public awareness about the Court’s role and improving access to regional justice.

President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice Pays Courtesy Visit to the Chief Judge of Lagos State

President Tinubu Poised To Unleash Nigeria’s Full Potential On African Continent, Says VP Shettima

** As FG seeks stronger ties with Berlin’s Hertie School on human capital development

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully committed to unlocking Nigeria’s full potential and positioning the country as a leading force on the African continent, driven by strategic investments in human capital and bold economic reforms.

According to him, Nigeria is actively seeking expertise from the global best institutions to enhance policy formulation and implementation, particularly in human capital development.

Speaking during a visit by a delegation from the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, led by Senior Fellow Dr. Rolf Alter, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, the Vice President noted that President Tinubu is determined to elevate Nigeria to its rightful position as a leading force in Africa.

“The current crop of leadership in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready and willing to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian nation on the African continent. We are laying the groundwork through strategic reforms, and at the heart of it is human capital development,” VP Shettima stated.

He described the Hertie School as a valuable partner in the journey, noting that “Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, has the track record and institutional knowledge to add value to our policy formulation and delivery, especially in this disruptive age.”

Reiterating the government’s priority on upskilling Nigerians, VP Shettima said, “Skills are very important, and with our Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 programme, we are in a position to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian people by enhancing their capital skills.”

The Vice President acknowledged the vital support of international development partners in this effort: “I want to thank the World Bank, the European Union, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and all our partners in that drive to add value to the Nigerian nation,” he maintained.

Specifically, the Vice President said human capital development is both an economic imperative and a social necessity, just as he said, “We can only turn our demographic bulge into a demographic dividend when we invest in the human capital of the people.”

Assuring the visiting delegation of the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation, he said, “We need the skills and the capacity from your school. The world is now knowledge-driven. I wish to implore you to have a very warm and robust partnership with the government and people of Nigeria.”

VP Shettima further explained recent economic decisions of the government, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms, saying, “The removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the exchange rate regime and the revolution in the energy sector are all painful processes, but at the end of the day, the Nigerian people will laugh last.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a very modern leader who is willing to take far-reaching, courageous decisions to reposition the Nigerian economy,” he added.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dr Alter, congratulated the Tinubu administration for the successful launch and implementation of the Human Capital Development (HCD) strategy, which he described as ambitious and targeted towards the improvement of the lives of the citizens.

He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his engagements since arriving in the country, applauding the zeal, commitment, energy and goodwill observed among stakeholders in the implementation of Nigeria’s HCD programme.

Dr Alter said the Hertie School of Governance will work closely with authorities in Nigeria across different levels to deliver programmes that are specifically designed to address the unique needs of the country.

He, however, stressed the need for government officials at different levels to be agile and amenable to the dynamics of the evolving world, particularly as Nigeria attempts to successfully accelerate its human capital development aspirations.

Also present at the meeting were the Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria, Annett Gunther; Director General of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr Abdulateef Shittu; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb Dunoma Ahmed; representatives of the Director General of the Budget Office, the Gates Foundation, the World Bank and other officials from the Hertie School of Governance, among others.

President Tinubu Poised To Unleash Nigeria’s Full Potential On African Continent, Says VP Shettima

NIMC Announces Price Review for Services

By: Michael Mike

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced a price review for its products and services.

Some of the services offered by the Commission include: modification like date of birth, name , address , phone number , Diaspora Enrolment, and verification service, among others

A statement on Thursday by the Commission’s Head, Corporate Communications Unit, Dr. Kayode Adegoke read: “The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) wishes to inform the general public of a price review for its products and services. After a decade of maintaining the same pricing structure, NIMC has conducted a comprehensive review to ensure alignment with current operational costs and industry standards.

“The revised pricing structure aims to maintain the quality and integrity of NIMC’s services while ensuring affordability and accessibility for Nigerians. The new prices will take effect immediately.

“NIMC warns all Front-End Partners (FEPs) to adhere strictly to the new pricing structure. Any FEP found charging more than the approved rates will face sanctions, including license revocation.”

Adegoke assured that: “NIMC is committed to protecting the interests of Nigerians and ensuring that our services are delivered at fair and transparent prices.”

He disclosed that: “The new pricing structure will be published on NIMC’s website -www.nimc.gov.ng (where it will be accessible to all Nigerians and relevant stakeholders.

NIMC reaffirmed its commitment to providing secure and reliable identity services to Nigerians, encouraging
the public to report any FEP charging above the approved rates to its inspectorate and enforcement unit via ieu@nimc.gov.ng or call 08155015388.

Meanwhile, the NIMC DG/CEO, Engr Abisoye Coker-Odusote has thanked Nigerians, sister agencies and all the Commission partners for their steadfast support, while expressing her deep appreciation to President Tinubu, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Harmonization partners, Management and staff of NIMC for their immeasurable support towards building a strong and lasting National Identity System.

NIMC Announces Price Review for Services