Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Engages ECOWAS Court President on Judgment Enforcement
The Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, welcomed the President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, Honourable Justice Ricardo Gonçalves, during a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.
This engagement focused on the enforcement of the Court’s judgments within Member States and forms part of the activities marking the 50th Anniversary of ECOWAS. Justice Gonçalves expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for its long-standing support for both the ECOWAS community and the Court of Justice.
In his remarks, Justice Gonçalves noted that the visit aimed to address the critical issue of the non-enforcement of the Court’s judgments. He revealed that the Court has registered 128 cases involving Nigeria, of which 66 have been concluded, 10 judgments executed, while 52 remain pending execution.
He warned that the non-enforcement of the Court’s decisions challenges the institution’s credibility and hinders broader objectives for regional judicial integration. Highlighting Nigeria’s significant role as a founding Member State, Justice Gonçalves emphasized that Nigeria’s commitment to compliance would have profound implications for the integrity of the regional judicial system.
Justice Gonçalves reassured that the Court is prepared to collaborate constructively with the Nigerian government to identify practical solutions to the challenges in the implementation of its judgments.
In her response, Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the ECOWAS Community and its associated institutions. She acknowledged the meeting’s significance, especially in light of ECOWAS’s 50th Anniversary, and praised the Court for its pioneering role among regional courts in Africa.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu addressed the statistics on enforcement, describing them as an issue requiring serious attention. She assured Justice Gonçalves that the concerns raised would be conveyed to the relevant national authorities, particularly the Federal Ministry of Justice, for further review and action.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s support for the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, the Minister expressed Nigeria’s commitment to constructive engagement and collaboration toward finding solutions that uphold the Court’s integrity and advance regional integration.
The meeting concluded with both parties expressing optimism that enhanced dialogue and institutional cooperation will improve compliance mechanisms and strengthen the credibility of the ECOWAS judicial framework.
