By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed into law the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), widely known as the Kampala Convention, in a move aimed at strengthening humanitarian protection and safeguarding the rights and dignity of displaced Nigerians.
The legislation, titled “Act to Give Effect to the Provisions of the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria; and for Related Matters,” received presidential assent in February 2026.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Levinus Nwabughiogu made available to Precise Post on Monday.
Precise Post recalls that the bill was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, alongside six other lawmakers: Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi, Khadijat Bukar Ibrahim, Blessing Onuh, Nasiru Shehu, Felix Uche Nwaeke and Steve Fatoba.
The legislation had earlier been passed by both chambers of the National Assembly of Nigeria — the Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives of Nigeria — to domesticate and enforce the Kampala Convention within Nigeria’s legal framework.
The new law establishes a comprehensive legal and institutional structure to prevent and mitigate the root causes of internal displacement while ensuring protection, assistance and durable solutions for internally displaced persons across the country.
Nigeria was among 32 member states of the African Union that launched the ratification process of the convention in 2009 during a summit in Kampala, Uganda.
The Act also seeks to guarantee the protection of the human rights of IDPs in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and other international instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory. It further outlines the obligations and responsibilities of government institutions and non-state actors in addressing displacement and its humanitarian consequences.
Nigeria currently faces a prolonged humanitarian crisis, with millions of internally displaced persons living in camps and informal settlements, often battling extreme poverty, hunger, disease and insecurity. The situation has largely been driven by the insurgency of Boko Haram, widespread banditry, farmer-herder conflicts and natural disasters.
Analysts say the domestication of the Kampala Convention is expected to improve coordination of humanitarian interventions, reduce overcrowded and under-resourced shelters, and expand access to healthcare and education for displaced populations.
Reacting to the development, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the bill into law, describing the move as a significant step toward addressing the plight of displaced Nigerians.
He said the President had “given a human face to the suffering of IDPs” and demonstrated commitment to tackling the humanitarian crisis.
Kalu also urged Nigerians and the international community to support government efforts in implementing the convention.
“We must work together to address the humanitarian crisis and provide durable solutions for IDPs. The international community is also called upon to partner with Nigeria in addressing the root causes of displacement,” he said.
