ECOWAS Nations Convene In Lagos To Tackle Enforcement Of Regional Court Judgments

The inaugural meeting of Competent National Authorities (CNA) in charge of enforcing ECOWAS’s Community Court of Justice judgements began today in Lagos, Nigeria.

The two-day event, titled “Enhancing the Role, Relevance, and Effectiveness of the ECOWAS Court of Justice: Strengthening Synergies Between the Court and Competent National Authorities,” aims to address the persistent challenges that prevent the Court’s rulings from being implemented effectively and to identify practical solutions.

The meeting brings together representatives from ECOWAS member states to foster cooperation, facilitate information sharing, and develop long-term mechanisms for enforcing the Court’s decisions and improving access to justice throughout the region.

In his keynote address, Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, emphasised the binding nature of the Court’s decisions as well as Member States’ critical responsibility to ensure their enforcement.

He emphasised the importance of judgement execution in maintaining the rule of law, promoting justice, and strengthening regional human rights protections.

Justice Gonçalves referred to Article 24(2) of the Court’s Protocol, which states that judgements are enforced through writs submitted to competent national authorities, who must verify and act on them in accordance with domestic civil procedure rules.

He also praised the ten out of twelve Member States that fulfilled their obligation under Article 24(4) to designate and notify the Court of their competent national authority.

Mr. Nnanna Ibom, Director of International and Compliance Law in the Ministry of Justice, represented the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, Lateef Fagbemi SAN.

He praised the President of the Court for initiating the meeting. Mr. Ibom emphasised the initiative’s importance in promoting regional integration, access to justice, and the rule of law.

“It is critical that we investigate practical strategies to harmonise enforcement protocols and strengthen the link between the Court and Member States’ justice institutions,” he said.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. Yaouza Ouro-Sama, Chief Registrar of the Court, emphasised the workshop’s goal of strengthening the working relationship between the Court and the CNAs to ensure the seamless enforcement of its judgements.

He acknowledged that poor compliance remains a widespread challenge for international courts, which rely on Member States’ political will and legal infrastructure.

Dr. Ouro-Sama cited Article 15(4) of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty to reiterate that the Court’s decisions are binding on Member States, community institutions, individuals, and corporations.

He also identified persistent barriers to enforcement, such as a lack of domestication of legal instruments, insufficient political commitment, and the absence of implementing legislation.

The CNA workshop is expected to end tomorrow, June 24th, with concrete proposals to improve the enforcement of ECOWAS Court of Justice rulings and strengthen the Court’s role in promoting justice and regional integration within the ECOWAS community.