Published 10th Dec, 2024

By Timileyin Akinmoyeje

Nigeria ranks 120 out of 140 countries in the 2024 World Human Rights and Rule of Law Index, scoring below average and falling behind military-ruled Niger, gang-plagued El Salvador and war-torn Ukraine.

The index, compiled by the World Justice Project, assesses how nations uphold human rights and maintain the rule of law. It evaluates government constraints, corruption levels, openness, human rights protections, public order, regulatory enforcement and the effectiveness of civil justice systems.

Nigeria’s ranking has fluctuated over recent years. It plunged from 106th in 2020 to 121st in 2021, and climbed slightly to 118th in 2022, before falling back to 120th in both 2023 and 2024.

In terms of scores, 2024 marks Nigeria’s lowest performance since 2015. The country scored 0.44 on a scale ranging from 0 to 1, with 1 representing the highest level of adherence to human rights and the rule of law. This is a decline from 0.41, a score Nigeria maintained from 2021 to 2023 after dropping 0.1 in 2021.

GOVERNMENT CONSTRAINTS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

The World Justice Project measures government constraints as how well those in power are held accountable by law. It looks at checks like constitutional limits, judicial oversight, and non-governmental influences such as the press.

Nigeria scored 0.49 in this category, ranking 88th of 142 countries. While the legislature did well, with a score of 0.65 and a global rank of 42, other areas showed poor results. For example, Nigeria’s judiciary ranked 77th, scoring a below-average 0.48. Regionally, it placed 12th among 38 African countries.

FIJ has documented many instances where government agencies ignored court orders. In one case, the Nigeria Immigration Service refused to reinstate and compensate a staff member despite a court ruling. Similarly, FIJ documented how a man was detained by the police for over 13 years, even after a court ordered his release.

When it comes to independent oversight, Nigeria scored 0.42, ranking 78th. Officials are rarely punished for misconduct. An example of this was seen in a case where a police officer extorted N72,000 from a civilian. While the money was returned, no action was taken against the officer.

Non-governmental checks on the government are also weak. Nigeria scored 0.49, ranking below 93 countries. BudgIT for instance, exposed fiscal issues like the misallocation of over N600 billion in the 2024 budget. But this led to no corrective action.

In criminal justice, Nigeria performed poorly, scoring 0.38 and ranking 91st. This category examines how effective the country is at criminal investigations, court proceedings and corrections.

In the past, FIJ has reported issues that support the data gathered in the index. For instance, FIJ reported how at Kirikiri prison, death row inmates exploit poor conditions to abuse and sodomise others.

CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Nigeria ranked 106th of 142 countries in 2024 on Factor 7 of the WJP Rule of Law Index, which examines whether ordinary people can resolve grievances peacefully and effectively through the civil justice system.

The country scored a poor 0.44, falling below average. This metric evaluates how effective, fair and independent the civil justice system is. It also considers whether the system is affordable, free of corruption, and whether its outcomes are enforceable.

Nigeria has an ombudsman in the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), but the agency itself suffers serious challenges. In 2023, FIJ reported how the PCC was heavily reliant on the legislature and suffered severe underfunding.

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

The WJP Rule of Law Index evaluates how well Nigeria protects its citizens’ fundamental rights under the law. These rights include freedom of belief, association, and information, as well as the right to life, due process and privacy. It also examines whether labour rights are upheld and whether the system treats people fairly and without discrimination.

Nigeria scored 0.42, a below-average score, and ranked below 115 other countries for this metric. In tandem, instances of illegal detention, harassment and human rights abuses were rife in Nigeria in 2024.

In one notable case, ‘Fisayo Soyombo, FIJ’s founder and editor-in-chief, was detained for three days by men of the Nigerian Army, in a manner reminiscent of Gestapo tactics.

During the August #EndBadGovernance protest, minors were arrested and detained alongside hardened criminals in Nigeria. Many of these children were underfed and some fainted in court due to malnourishment.

Despite court orders for their release, Babagana Zulum, the Borno State governor, publicly opposed the freedom of the children. Amnesty International reported that over 1,200 people were detained and 24 were killed during the protest in August.

Privacy violations continue to be a major concern. In March, FIJ revealed how third parties have backdoor access to Nigeria’s National Identification Number (NIN) system, selling sensitive personal data to buyers.

Labour rights are another area where Nigeria falls short. FIJ reported on the appalling working conditions in Lagos factories where workers are exposed to unsafe environments with little to no state intervention or protection.

Prolonged illegal detentions by security forces are also common. In a recent case, a cryptocurrency trader was abducted from his home in Abuja by the Nigerian Army. It has been more than three weeks and his family still has no knowledge of his whereabouts.

ABSENCE OF CORRUPTION

The WJP Rule of Law Index evaluates corruption in three key areas: bribery, improper influence by public or private interests and the misappropriation of public resources. These aspects are measured across the executive branch, judiciary, military, police and legislature.

Nigeria’s performance in 2024 was dismal, ranking below 121 other countries with a poor score of 0.32. A closer look reveals a particularly poor trend in the executive and legislative branches.

The country scored 0.31 and 0.28, respectively, on whether officials in these branches avoided using their offices for personal gain. Similarly, the judiciary and police scored 0.48 and 0.46, reflecting systemic challenges across all sectors.

Between 2023 and 2024, FIJ reported numerous cases of corruption just as documented in the index. For instance, over N900 million of public funds were discovered to have been paid into private accounts in three months.

Another FIJ report documented a questionable contract payment of N47.5 million by Orelope Adefulire’s OSSAP-SDGs office at the request of former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

OPEN GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORY ENFORCEMENTS

When it comes to government openness, transparency, and accessibility of information, Nigeria’s performance in 2024 was disappointing. The country scored only 0.42 and ranked below 101 other countries out of 142.

Transparency issues have been a long-standing problem in Nigeria. For instance, in a recent report, FIJ documented how seven states had failed to publish their Budget Implementation Reports for Q3 2024, just 20 days before the year’s end, despite binding legislation.

FIJ has also reported how 26 out of the 36 states in Nigeria lack standard webpages, despite official government guidelines requiring them to maintain these websites.

Nigeria did not perform much better in terms of regulatory enforcement. The country scored 0.41 and ranked below 118 other countries.

ORDER AND SECURITY

Nigeria scored poorly in the order and security sub-index. With a score of 0.36, the country ranked dead last among 142 countries. Nigeria’s performance in crime control, however, was somewhat better, with a score of 0.52.

But the situation becomes more concerning when looking at civil conflict avoidance. Nigeria scored a nearly non-existent 0.12, indicating that the country’s to prevent or manage civil conflict.

In addition, Nigeria scored 0.52 on the metric measuring how often people resort to violence to settle disputes.

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