NBA and UNICEF Launch N120 Million Legal Aid for Children

On Monday, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launched a strategic partnership worth N120 million aimed at providing pro bono legal representation for vulnerable children across Nigeria. This initiative responds to concerns regarding child detention, weak referral systems, and limited access to justice.

The unveiling took place in Abuja, where NBA president Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) emphasized the importance of mobilizing Nigerian lawyers to represent children who are victims of abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and those in conflict with the law. Osigwe remarked that the partnership signifies a shift from broad commitments to a structured legal response, ensuring that vulnerable children have access to legal representation when needed.

He stated that the lack of legal representation for children facing various forms of abuse and neglect represents a collective societal failure, asserting that this initiative is an act of justice rather than mere charity.