The Network of National Human Rights Institutions in West Africa, NNHRI-WA, has called for stronger independence, funding, and regional collaboration for NHRIs to address rising insecurity, shrinking civic space, and barriers to justice across the ECOWAS region.

President of NNHRI-WA and Executive Secretary of Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu OFR, SAN, made the call at Network’s Eighth Regional Conference and Annual General Assembly held in Abidjan from 7 to 8 September 2026.

The event was hosted by the Commission Nationale des Droits de l’Homme de Côte d’Ivoire, CNDH-CI, and supported by the ECOWAS Commission, OHCHR-WARO, UNOWAS and UNAIDS.

Twelve National Human Rights Institutions from Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo participated alongside regional and international partners.

Declaring the conference open, Ojukwu said human rights, democracy, development, peace and good governance are “mutually reinforcing pillars.”

He noted progress in democratic governance across the region, but warned of continuing challenges including unconstitutional changes of government, violent extremism, poverty, displacement, and declining public trust.

He urged NHRIs to move beyond reacting to violations and focus more on prevention and early warning.

A statement by Hajia Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages at the NHRC, said the ECOWAS Commission, represented by Mr. Ebenezer Asiedu, reaffirmed its commitment to keep human rights at the heart of the ECOWAS architecture and encouraged NHRIs to be “bold and innovative.”

OHCHR-WARO Regional Representative, Mr. Robert Kotchani, said NHRIs have a key role in protecting women, children, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

In the review of the 2025 Abuja Communique, member institutions reported progress on OPCAT detention monitoring, transitional justice, migration, climate change, and election observation.

On detention and justice, almost all institutions reported overcrowding and prolonged pre-trial detention.

Ghana reported remand overcrowding above 130 percent capacity and the passage of a new Community Service Act for non-custodial sentencing.

Nigeria cited its toll-free line 6472 and the use of criminal justice committees to identify wrongful detention. Sierra Leone and Togo also reported nationwide prison monitoring.

On political rights, The Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal presented models of NHRI involvement across the electoral cycle, including monitoring, hate speech tracking, and voter education.

Delegates called for greater inclusion of women, youth, persons with disabilities and the diaspora.

On business and human rights, Nigeria reported amending the NHRC Act to include an express business-and-human-rights mandate.

Senegal said it is finalizing a draft National Action Plan to become the first francophone country with one, while The Gambia said it is at an early stage following stakeholder consultations.

Delegates also flagged two recurring challenges: difficulties with intra-regional free movement despite the ECOWAS Protocol, and unresolved questions on eligibility and cut-off points in reparations processes.

The Conference resolved to deepen peer learning, conduct joint monitoring missions, and strengthen engagement with ECOWAS, the AU and the UN.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Ojukwu said the legitimacy of NHRIs “is measured not by the offices we occupy, but by the difference we make in the lives of ordinary citizens.”

The Ninth Regional Conference and General Assembly will be convened in 2027.

Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, former Secretary to the Kano State Government and former chairman of the Kano State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has questioned the current political strength of former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, following the defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

‎in an interview on Sunday, Bichi stated that the political situation in Kano had changed since the 2023 general elections and recalled that Governor Yusuf was a member of the NNPP during the 2023 election, at the time, Yusuf worked closely with Kwankwaso, who was the party’s presidential candidate.

‎According to Bichi, the governor has since left the NNPP and moved to another political platform, he said Yusuf did not make the move alone, he stated that members of the Kano State Government also followed the governor.

‎He listed members of the cabinet and local government chairmen among those who previously belonged to the NNPP, the development, he argued, has changed the political balance in Kano State.

‎Bichi questioned what remained of Kwankwaso’s political structure in the state after the governor and several government officials left the NNPP, he said the situation should make political observers reconsider the belief that Kwankwaso still controls Kano politics in the same way he did during the 2023 election.

‎”In the last election, the governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf was part of the then NNPP and was working with Kwankwaso. Today, the governor decamped with all the members of the government. So my big question to you is, who is left in there with him (Kwankwaso)?” he said.

Lere Olayinka, Media Aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has alleged that Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, shared money with delegates while he was still seeking the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2022.

Speaking during an appearance on AIT News, Olayinka challenged Obi’s public statements on campaign spending, saying the former Anambra governor had distributed cash to delegates during his time in the PDP.

“Let’s not come on TV or whatever and begin to deceive ourselves or deceive people. I’ve heard the candidate of NDC, Peter Obi, say he does not spend shishi. It is a lie. I was a delegate in Ekiti when Obi was in PDP before going to Labour Party. He came to Ekiti and he dropped money for delegates. And from the money he dropped, I got my own money. And that was in 2022,” Olayinka said.

The aide, who described himself as a delegate in Ekiti at the time, said the distribution happened before Obi exited the PDP for the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Beyond the specific allegation, Olayinka also made a wider argument about money in politics. He contended that financial inducements during political processes are not peculiar to Nigeria.

According to him, politics everywhere involves significant financial outlay and should be viewed as a form of business. He cited election campaigns in countries such as the United States as examples where huge sums are spent to mobilize support and run campaigns.

“Politics is a business and should be treated as one,” he insisted, adding that it was unrealistic to expect political contests at the presidential level to be conducted without substantial funding.

Obi, who left the PDP in May 2022, went on to become the Labour Party presidential candidate and finished third in the February 2023 election. He has repeatedly presented himself as a candidate who ran a frugal campaign and who would not engage in vote-buying or inducement of delegates.