LAGOS, NIGERIA – The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has convened its inaugural meeting of Competent National Authorities (CNAs) in Lagos with a strong call for enhanced enforcement of its judgments, as leaders across West Africa seek to address long-standing challenges undermining justice delivery and regional legal integration.
The two-day meeting, holding at the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos from June 23 to 24, brought together Attorneys General and Ministers of Justice from ECOWAS Member States, court officials, legal experts, and other stakeholders under the theme: “Enhancing the Role, Relevance, and Effectiveness of the ECOWAS Court of Justice: Strengthening Synergies Between the Court and Competent National Authorities.”
In his opening address, the President of the ECOWAS Court, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, stressed that while most ECOWAS Member States have appointed competent national authorities as required under the 2005 Supplementary Protocol, the Court’s compliance rate remains alarmingly low—standing at just 22%.
“This statistic is not encouraging and has the potential to erode public confidence in the Court. The non-enforcement of our decisions is an existential threat,” Justice Gonçalves warned.
He emphasized the binding nature of the Court’s decisions, citing Article 15(4) of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty and the Court’s mandate as a regional institution upholding justice, human rights, and the rule of law.
He noted that enforcement is the linchpin of the Court’s credibility and urged Member States to honor their legal commitments.
Read Also: Court Convicts Chukwudi Okonkwo Goodness for N360m Fraud, Hands Down 74-Year Jail Term
Also speaking at the opening, Dr. Yaouza Ouro-Sama, Chief Registrar of the Court, highlighted the long-standing struggle regional and international courts face regarding enforcement.
“Where courts deliver judgments that aren’t enforced, they are perceived as toothless bulldogs,” he remarked, lamenting the gap between the Court’s expanding jurisdiction and the political will of Member States to implement its rulings.
Dr. Ouro-Sama cited obstacles such as lack of domesticating legislation, insufficient political will, and the absence of enabling enforcement frameworks as reasons behind the poor compliance rate, despite the clear stipulations in Article 24 of the Court’s Protocols.
Representing Nigeria’s Attorney General, Mr. Nnanna O. Ibom, Director of International and Comparative Law at the Federal Ministry of Justice, delivered remarks on behalf of Hon. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to judicial independence and regional cooperation.
“The enforcement of the Court’s decisions is critical to its continued relevance. We must harmonize enforcement protocols and address procedural disparities. The Court must also appreciate the peculiarities of Member States and avoid issuing unenforceable judgments,” Fagbemi advised.
He acknowledged the ECOWAS Court’s progressive jurisprudence in promoting human rights and democracy but urged reforms that would help manage tensions between regional rulings and domestic legal systems.
Also Read: Nigeria Marks Democracy Day with Renewed Focus on Democratic Rights and Challenges
Throughout the meeting, participants will engage in robust dialogue to:
Increase adherence to ECOWAS Court judgments,
Harmonize enforcement protocols across jurisdictions,
Identify and address procedural obstacles,
Equip CNAs with technical resources,
Foster collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission and Parliament.
Stakeholders expressed optimism that the meeting will yield concrete strategies to raise compliance levels and foster a more coordinated regional justice framework.
“This meeting marks a turning point,” said Fagbemi, “and we must seize this moment to ensure that the Court’s decisions do not remain unilateral declarations but are fully implemented across the sub-region.”
The ECOWAS Court, headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria, has seen its jurisdiction expand from inter-state disputes to include human rights and arbitration matters. Its growing influence makes effective enforcement of its judgments all the more critical to the region’s legal and institutional integrity.
