The Nigerian Bar Association(NBA),United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),and the Federal Government have partnered to expand free legal services for vulnerable children across Nigeria.
The initiative is aimed at ensuring that children who come into contact with the justice system have access to legal representation, regardless of their circumstances.
The partnership was unveiled in Abuja on Monday during the launch of a pro bono legal service programme for children.
Speaking at the event, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said the government was committed to protecting children through legal and justice reforms.
Fagbemi, who was represented by a Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Ayoola Daniels, said access to justice was a fundamental right of every child.
“Access to justice is not a privilege but a foundational right of every child,” he said.
He said a child who came into contact with the law as a victim, witness or alleged offender deserved a system that protected rather than harmed the child.
Fagbemi noted that justice for children had been recognised as a distinct area under the National Policy on Justice 2025.
He said the policy prioritised children’s rights awareness, expanded legal aid, restorative justice and an end to unnecessary detention of children.
The minister added that the government would strengthen referral pathways and institutional capacity to make the justice system more responsive to children.
“We are not starting from zero. The foundation exists and our task now is implementation and closing the gaps,” he said.
The outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the partnership with UNICEF was valued at N140m.
He said the initiative represented a collective commitment to ensuring that every child could access justice, protection and effective legal representation.
Osigwe commended UNICEF for its continued support towards strengthening child protection in Nigeria.
He urged lawyers to take greater responsibility for protecting children instead of leaving the task solely to government institutions and social workers.
“The protection of children cannot be left solely to government institutions and social workers,” he said.
Osigwe called on every NBA branch and law firm to dedicate time, resources and expertise to pro bono cases involving vulnerable children.
He said lawyers should be available to defend children who were unlawfully detained or denied due process.
“When a child is unlawfully detained and denied due process, let there be a lawyer ready to defend that child’s rights,” he said.
He also urged lawyers to ensure that children who came into conflict with the law were not detained alongside adults.
“If a child is to be incarcerated, let us ensure that the child is not kept with adults but in an age-appropriate facility,” Osigwe said.
He said the NBA would work with UNICEF to mobilise lawyers nationwide, facilitate referrals and expand quality legal representation for children.
Osigwe said the partnership would also strengthen the capacity of lawyers to handle child-sensitive cases.
He charged lawyers to make pro bono child protection services an integral part of their professional responsibilities.
The initiative brings together the NBA, UNICEF, Federal Ministry of Justice, judiciary, law-enforcement agencies, correctional authorities, Legal Aid Council and other child-protection stakeholders.
The partners said the programme would promote early access to legal assistance, diversion, rehabilitation and child-sensitive justice procedures.