More than 90 percent of Nigerians have encountered at least one legal problem in recent years, with many of these challenges remaining unresolved or recurring, according to a new national justice report.
The Justice Needs and Satisfaction in Nigeria 2025 report, launched in Abuja by the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (Hiil), is the country’s first longitudinal study of its kind. The research, conducted over four years, tracked the same group of individuals to understand how legal issues evolve and impact daily life.
According to the findings, land disputes and domestic violence emerged as the most widespread and persistent legal problems affecting Nigerians across different communities.
Hiil’s Country Representative, Ms Ijeoma Nwafor, described the report as an urgent wake-up call for justice providers and policymakers.
“It highlights where current systems fall short and where people are left to navigate complex problems on their own. It shows the scale and persistence of justice problems that people are unable to resolve,” she said.
Ms Nwafor emphasised the importance of people-centred data in addressing the justice gap.
“This report is not just about numbers; it’s about people’s lived experiences. It provides a roadmap for building more accessible and people-centred justice systems.
“The justice gap in Nigeria is real and growing. But with the right tools and political will, it can be closed.”
Dutch Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Bengt van Loosdrecht, also called for stronger and more inclusive access to justice.
“Justice should not be a luxury. It should be a commodity for everyone,” he said.
The study found that land-related legal problems accounted for 24 percent of all unresolved or long-standing cases by the final year of the survey. Many of these disputes were addressed outside the formal justice system, with affected individuals relying on direct negotiation or community leaders due to the high cost and complexity of court processes.
Domestic violence was reported by 30 percent of respondents and included various forms of abuse such as physical, emotional, economic, and sexual.
Survivors often experienced profound consequences, including financial hardship, stress-related illness, damaged family relationships, and loss of employment. While some reported achieving fair outcomes, many others gave up on seeking justice due to a lack of trust in the system.
The report further indicated that unresolved legal issues disproportionately affect residents of low-income urban communities. Common problems in these areas include land disputes, domestic abuse, and debt. In many instances, people turn to relatives, neighbours, or religious figures rather than law enforcement agencies or courts.
While the formal justice system was generally viewed in a positive light, many respondents believed it to be designed primarily for legal professionals. Trust in the police was notably low compared to community and religious leaders, who were seen as more accessible.
The report recommends increased investment in affordable, accessible, and timely legal services. It also calls for greater support for informal and community-based resolution mechanisms, as well as the continuous collection of people-centred justice data to inform evidence-based policymaking.
A member of the governing council of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr Sunny Daniel, urged stakeholders to act swiftly on the report’s revelations.
“This should serve as an alarm bell. What is released today shows we are still far away from where we desire to be. So let us go back and do more,” he said.
The launch event was attended by dignitaries, including the Director General of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Aliyu Abubakar; Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma; representative of the Minister of Justice, Atanda Timilehin; and Executive Director of the CLEEN Foundation, Peter Maduoma.
