West African Court Collaborates With Lagos On Institutional Challenges

The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has mapped out ways to collaborate with the Lagos State government to address institutional challenges and improve regional justice mechanisms in West Africa.

Indications to this development emerged when president of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, led an advance-delegation of the court to Lagos from April 28 to May 4, 2025.

On April 30, 2025, the president, accompanied by his vice president, Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma and Dr. Yaouza Ouro-Sama, the chief registrar of the court, paid a courtesy visit to the chief judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Olanrewaju Alogba at the Lagos High Court’s premises, during which both judicial leaders engaged in a rich and forward-looking discussion on legal collaboration, institutional challenges, and the role of regional justice mechanisms in West Africa.

This was part of the preparation for its upcoming External Court Sessions and sensitisation campaign scheduled to take place from May 5-7 and from May 8-16, 2025, in Lagos, a statement issued by the Communications Division of the court said.

Welcoming the delegation, Justice Alogba expressed deep appreciation for the visit, describing it as an honour to host such a distinguished judicial institution.

He commended the ECOWAS Court for its high standards of jurisprudence and its commitment to justice in the sub-region.

Acknowledging the court’s achievements, he emphasised the importance of continued collaboration and exchange between national and regional judicial bodies.

The chief judge provided an overview of the Lagos State Judiciary’s structure and recent developments, including its expansion across five judicial divisions (Lagos Island, Ikeja, Epe, Badagry, and Ikorodu) and newer courts in high-density areas like Iba and Yaba.

He also outlined plans to establish more courts along underserved areas such as the Apapa–Badagry corridor, with support from local authorities and the judiciary’s leadership.

While highlighting that the judiciary in Lagos enjoys a fair degree of government support, the Chief Judge noted infrastructural constraints, particularly the adaptation of their current facility following the destruction of the previous High Court during the #EndSARS protests.

On the issue of enforcement of regional court decisions, the chief judge echoed a familiar challenge: the difficulty of enforcing judgments in sovereign states with diverse political climates.

He noted, however, that international charters must be respected once ratified, and that the existence of judicial bodies like the ECOWAS Court play a vital role in ensuring legal accountability and curbing impunity, even when direct enforcement mechanisms are limited.

In his response, President Ricardo expressed gratitude to the chief judge and his team for the warm welcome and institutional support.

He emphasised that the visit and upcoming court activities in Lagos would not have been possible without their cooperation.

He used the opportunity to extend a formal invitation to the chief judge to attend the opening ceremony of the ECOWAS Court’s next judicial year, expected to take place in October or November 2025.

President Ricardo acknowledged the withdrawal of three member states of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS, which has reduced the number of participating states in the Court from 15 to 12.

He described the development as regrettable but affirmed the court’s continued commitment to its mandate.

He also outlined the ECOWAS Court’s core jurisdictions, which include: human rights protection (representing over 80% of its caseload), interpretation and application of ECOWAS legal instruments, disputes involving community civil servants, and advisory legal opinions to ECOWAS institutions.

The president also highlighted the upcoming sensitisation campaign, to be held from May 5-7 in Lagos, aimed at increasing public awareness about the court’s role and improving access to regional justice.