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President Bola Tinubu has signed into law, the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), also known as the Kampala Convention to strengthen humanitarian protection and upholding the rights and dignity of displaced citizens.
The bill titled “Act to Give Effect to the Provisions of the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria; and for Related Matters”, received presidential assent in February, 2026 and stands in the name of Hon. Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives as the lead sponsor alongside 6 other lawmakers.
These other lawmakers include Hon. Jonathan Gbefwi, Hon. Khadijat Ibrahim, Hon. Blessing Onuh, Hon. Nasiru Shehu, Hon. Felix Nwaeke and Hon. Steve Fatoba as co-sponsors.
The piece of legislation previously passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, ultimately seeks to domesticate and enforce in Nigeria, the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons.
It also seeks to eliminate the root causes of internal displacement in Nigeria, in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other relevant laws and international instruments to which Nigeria is a party.
Recall that Nigeria alongside other 32 African Union members, launched into the ratification during the Kampala Convention in 2009.
The 32 countries included Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Mali, Malawi, Mozambique, Mauritania, Nigeria, Niger, Rwanda, Saharawi Arab Republic, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, eSwatini, Togo, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Legislation Objectives
The objectives of the legislation are to provide a legal and institutional framework for the prevention, mitigation and elimination of root causes of internal displacement; make provision for the protection, assistance and durable solutions for internally displaced persons in Nigeria.
Another objective is to ensure the protection of the human rights of internally displaced persons in line with the provisions of the Constitution, relevant laws, and international instruments to which Nigeria is a party;
Also, it will provide for the obligations, responsibilities and roles of government agencies (“competent authorities”) and non-state actors; and provide a comprehensive and gender friendly framework for national response, coordination and collaboration for the protection, assistance and humanitarian interventions relating to internal displacement.
Other objectives are to promote solidarity, cooperation, durable solutions and mutual support among State Parties to the Convention, State Parties and non-state actors, competent authorities, and non-state actors in collaboration with relevant agencies, in order to combat displacement and address its consequences.
Essentially, the domestication of the Kampala Convention marks a significant step towards protecting IDPs in Nigeria as it is expected to check overcrowded, under-resourced shelters, limited access to healthcare and education.
In his reaction to the development, the Deputy Speaker, Kalu commended President Tinubu for signing the Act, stating that he has given a human face to the suffering of IDPs, demonstrating his commitment to addressing their plight.
He urged Nigerians to support the efforts of the government in implementing the Kampala Convention.
“We must work together to address the humanitarian crisis and provide durable solutions for IDPs. The international community is also called upon to partner with Nigeria in addressing the root causes of displacement,” the Deputy Speaker added.