The Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, on Monday received the President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, Honourable Justice Ricardo C.M Gonçalves, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tafawa Balewa House, Abuja, in a high-level engagement focused on the enforcement of Court judgments across Member States.
Justice Gonçalves, accompanied by senior officials of the Court, highlighted that Nigeria has 128 registered cases before the ECOWAS Community Court, with 66 concluded, 10 executed, and 52 pending enforcement. He emphasized that non-enforcement of the Court’s decisions undermines the credibility of the institution and regional judicial integration, noting Nigeria’s pivotal role as a founding Member State.
In her remarks, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to ECOWAS and its institutions. She acknowledged the enforcement challenges, citing limited awareness of the Court’s mandate, capacity constraints, and variations in national legal frameworks. She assured the delegation that concerns raised would be communicated to the Federal Ministry of Justice for further review and action.
The Minister further highlighted Nigeria’s efforts to promote understanding of ECOWAS through public awareness initiatives, including ECOWAS Clubs in educational institutions, and stressed the need for improved coordination between the Court, national governments, and domestic judicial systems.
Both sides expressed optimism that strengthened dialogue and institutional cooperation would enhance compliance mechanisms and reinforce the credibility of the ECOWAS judicial framework.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated Nigeria’s enduring commitment to regional integration, rule of law, and effective multilateral cooperation within the ECOWAS Community.
