Assessing Nigeria’s Human Rights Record: Recommendations for the New Government

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged Nigeria’s incoming President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to make human rights a priority both at home and abroad. HRW outlined five key areas that the new administration should focus on to promote human rights: promoting civilian protection in conflict areas, supporting media freedom and the right to free expression, adopting a foreign policy that centres human rights, protecting and promoting the rights of internally displaced people and prioritising the social safety net to tackle entrenched poverty and inequality. HRW also notes deep uncertainty facing Nigeria, including worsening poverty and inequality, high levels of insecurity and recurrent violations of civil and political rights. Tinubu, who was declared the winner of the February 2023 presidential elections, is facing petitions challenging his victory at the presidential election tribunal. Tinubu has pledged to “first pull most Nigerians out of poverty and provide the basic needs for a decent life and social justice for all”. HRW warns that Nigeria has failed to ensure economic and social rights for everyone, and has reached extreme levels of inequality.

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