By Hassan Hussain
The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, have launched a strategic partnership to expand access to pro bono legal services for vulnerable children across Nigeria.
The initiative was unveiled at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja attended by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Nigerian Law School, Nigerian Correctional Service, National Judicial Institute, judiciary, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations and development partners.
Speaking at the event, NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the partnership was a reaffirmation of the collective commitment to ensuring that every child, irrespective of background or circumstance, has access to justice, protection and effective legal representation.
Mazi Osigwe said despite progress made through the Child Rights Act and other child protection frameworks, many children still face serious barriers to justice, particularly victims of abuse, trafficking, exploitation, child marriage, harmful traditional practices, neglect and violence, as well as children in conflict with the law.
He stressed that denying vulnerable children access to legal representation amounted to a failure of society and the legal profession.
“Denying vulnerable children access to legal representation amounts to a failure of society and the legal profession”
The NBA President said the partnership would mobilise lawyers across the country to provide quality pro bono representation for children, strengthen referral pathways between justice and child protection institutions, and build the capacity of legal practitioners to handle child-sensitive cases.
Mazi Osigwe also called on every NBA branch, law firm, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and young lawyer to embrace pro bono legal services for vulnerable children as a professional and moral responsibility.
He urged NBA branches to establish or strengthen child-focused pro bono schemes, while encouraging law firms to dedicate professional time to child protection cases and Senior Advocates to mentor younger lawyers in child-sensitive legal practice.
“Pro bono legal service is an act of justice rather than charity. The true measure of the legal profession lies in its ability to protect society’s most vulnerable”
He commended UNICEF for its sustained support towards strengthening child protection systems in Nigeria, noting that discussions at the 2025 NBA Annual General Conference had highlighted the urgent need to improve children’s access to justice.
Mazi Osigwe said the NBA would provide the leadership and institutional structures needed to mobilise lawyers nationwide, facilitate referrals and expand access to quality legal representation for vulnerable children.
He expressed optimism that the partnership would mark a defining moment in Nigeria’s child justice system, urging lawyers across the country to ensure that children subjected to abuse, unlawful detention, trafficking, forced marriage, exploitation or violence have access to legal protection.
The NBA-UNICEF partnership is expected to strengthen child-sensitive legal services in Nigeria through greater collaboration among justice sector institutions and increased access to legal support for vulnerable children.
