The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has appealed to the National Assembly for an increase in its 2025 budgetary allocation to ₦19.55 billion, citing the need to address the growing demands for its services. This request was made by the Executive Secretary, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, during a joint session with the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Human Rights.
Dr. Ojukwu highlighted the NHRC’s achievements in 2024, noted a remarkable 100% implementation of its ₦5 billion budget. Among these accomplishments was the establishment of eight new state offices, which have been instrumental in enhancing the Commission’s capacity to address human rights concerns across the country.
“To sustain and build on this progress, the NHRC is proposing an ₦8 billion budget for 2025, with a key focus on establishing additional state offices to enhance effective service delivery by the Commission to every region of the country,” Dr. Ojukwu stated.
He underscored the importance of expanding the Commission’s reach, particularly to remote and marginalized communities, to ensure that every Nigerian has access to justice. “The establishment of more state offices will bridge the gap between the Commission and communities that need our services the most. This expansion will enable us to address human rights violations more effectively and foster greater trust and collaboration with the public,” he added.
Dr. Ojukwu also highlighted the NHRC’s strategic priorities for 2025, including tackling pressing human rights challenges such as terrorism, communal conflicts, insurgency, and gender-based violence. He pointed out that the cost of investigating over 2 million annual complaints is approximately ₦8,000 per case, necessitating a substantial budget increase to ₦19.55 billion to meet these demands effectively.
“Expanding our resources will allow us to deliver justice to more Nigerians. The proposed budget, if approved, will significantly enhance the NHRC’s ability to tackle issues such as gender-based violence, child rights violations, police brutality, and other human rights abuses. It will also reinforce the Commission’s independence and operational effectiveness as it continues to uphold its mandate of promoting and protecting human rights in Nigeria.”he emphasized.
Members of the Joint Committees praised the NHRC’s achievements and its commitment to increasing accessibility and responsiveness despite financial constraints. They acknowledged the necessity of expanding state offices to ensure that no community is left without representation and protection of their human rights.
