The Senate has passed the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (Domestication and Enforcement) Bill, 2025, for third reading.

The Kampala Convention, adopted by the African Union (AU) in 2009, is a regional treaty aimed at protecting and assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Africa.

The convention establishes a framework for preventing displacement, providing assistance to those displaced, and finding durable solutions for their return or reintegration. Nigeria signed the Kampala Convention in 2009 but hasn’t yet formally domesticated it into its national laws.

Concerned about the IDPs plight, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, sponsored the Bill and it was passed by the House and sent to Senate for concurrence.

The passage of the bill followed the consideration and adoption of recommendations presented by the Senate Leader, Senator Bamidele Opeyemi, at the plenary on Tuesday.

The Senate leader said, “This bill was read for the first time on Tuesday 10th December 2024. It seeks to domesticate and enforce in Nigeria, the African Union convention for protection and assistance to internally displaced persons and elimination of root causes and internal displacement in Nigeria. In line with the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended and other relevant laws and international instruments to which Nigeria is a party. This bill has gone through the necessary legislative process of the House of Representatives and I urge you to support the bill and refer them to committee of the whole for clause by clause consideration.”

Thereafter, the bill was referred to the Senate
Committee of the Whole and the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, read out its 46 clauses one after the other, explanatory memorandum and long title and it was subsequently passed into law.