The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has urged the ECOWAS Court of Justice to develop clear procedures that will help member countries enforce its judgments. She made the call in Abuja while receiving the court’s president, Ricardo Goncalves, and a delegation of judges during a courtesy visit.

Goncalves explained that the delegation came to seek Nigeria’s support in ensuring that decisions of the regional court are respected and implemented. He revealed that about 80 percent of the court’s rulings remain unenforced, mainly because of weak political will and structural challenges across member states. He appealed to Nigeria to lead by example, noting that compliance by a major country could influence others to follow.

In her response, the CJN praised the court for delivering landmark judgments, especially in cases related to fundamental human rights across West Africa. However, she stressed that enforcing such rulings largely depends on national governments, particularly the executive arm, which has the authority to implement decisions within each country.

Kekere-Ekun advised the court to use its upcoming bilateral meeting on the status of its judgments to consult stakeholders and design a uniform enforcement framework. She also pledged Nigeria’s support for the court through judicial training programmes, saying stronger cooperation would improve compliance and strengthen justice systems across the region.