Nigeria moves to reform 23-year-old Child Rights Act

Stakeholders in Nigeria have initiated a process to review and amend the Child Rights Act (CRA) of 2003. The three-day National Stakeholders’ Engagement in Abuja aims to strengthen legislation to better protect the welfare and rights of children through more enforceable and implementable laws.

The proposed reforms seek to expand the existing 278 sections of the Act to 444. Key updates include provisions for child-friendly justice, digital safety, family-based care, and institutional coordination. The draft also proposes raising the minimum age for child justice administration from seven to 12 years, establishing one-stop justice centres, and creating a Child Protection Fund to ensure dedicated budgetary support.

Participants emphasized the need for the law to address modern challenges, such as digital threats involving data privacy and artificial intelligence. The Attorney-General of the Federation, represented by Solicitor-General Beatrice Jedy-Agba, noted that investing in child protection is fundamental to national security, social stability, and human capital development.