Oluwafunbi Bello 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria has recorded the highest number of unenforced judgments issued by the ECOWAS Court of Justice, according to new regional statistics released on Wednesday to mark World Human Rights Day.
Deputy Chief Registrar, Gaye Sowe said the Court’s latest enforcement data revealed a persistent pattern of non-compliance among member states, with Nigeria maintaining the largest backlog. Out of 125 cases involving Nigeria, 67 were dismissed, 10 enforced and 48 — recently rising to 50 — remain outstanding.
Sowe explained that the Court has delivered 492 judgments across 12 active ECOWAS states, with 192 classified as enforceable — decisions requiring governments or institutions to take specific corrective measures. The Court has received a total of 775 filings since inception, excluding AES countries, and currently has 136 pending cases.
A country-by-country breakdown showed widespread non-compliance: Benin has six unenforced judgments, Cape Verde one, Côte d’Ivoire nine, Ghana seven, Guinea 18, Liberia four, Senegal nine, Sierra Leone 11, The Gambia five and Togo 29 partly or wholly unenforced.
Sowe noted that the ECOWAS Commission, which also appears before the Court as a respondent, has 36 judgments against it, with only 14 enforced.
He expressed concern that 54 per cent of judgments involving AES countries were dismissed, suggesting challenges with the quality or legitimacy of cases brought before the Court. He said the Court would intensify sensitisation across member states to strengthen compliance and improve access to justice.
ECOWAS Court President, Ricardo Gonçalves said chronic non-implementation undermines the Court’s mandate to protect rights such as freedom of expression, education, assembly and a healthy environment. He urged member states to enforce rulings without delay and ensure civil society groups, journalists and human rights defenders receive adequate protection.
“Without full implementation of the Court’s judgments, the promise of human rights protection becomes a mirage,” Gonçalves warned.
About the Author
Oluwatobi Adu 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Koko Maxwella 