News
A Policy Roundtable On Whistleblower Protection Law Underway In Abuja
In continuation of the advocacy for the passage of the whistleblower protection law in the country, a consortium of civil society partners working on good governance and accountability will hold a policy roundtable in Abuja on November 7.
The roundtable, whose theme is Towards a Whistleblower Protection Law in Nigeria, is put together by the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) in collaboration with the Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development (PRIMORG), Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation (SMYF) and other grantees of the MacArthur Foundation.
According to a statement by the organizers, “This intervention aims to develop key ideas and strategies to put whistleblowing and the passage of a whistleblower protection law in Nigeria on the front burner of national conversation.”
Whistleblowers have been playing positive, legitimate, and crucial roles in the prevention of and in the fight against corruption and the promotion of human rights in Nigeria and around the world.
“Over the years, they have uncovered and disclosed information on various corrupt and suspicious dealings linked to corrupt and politically exposed persons, leading to wider public debates about corruption and the need for accountability, the adoption of transparency regulations, investigations by national authorities, and international bodies, and the prosecution and condemnation of some of those involved,” the statement noted.
Despite the recognition of the importance of whistleblowers in various anti-corruption treaties, including Article 33 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), which requires state parties to protect whistleblowers, most whistleblowers have continued to face retaliation for exposing corruption and other illegal practices. According to the organizers, “Some whistleblowers in Nigeria face reprisals such as dismissal, threats, physical violence or abusive legal proceedings, while others are forced into exile or even killed.”
The statement noted that Nigeria, unfortunately, is one of the countries where whistleblowers face a lack of a safe and enabling legal environment that would allow them to report wrongdoing without fear of reprisals. It attributed the situation to a lack of effective protection laws, pointing out that only 10 55 African countries have adopted specific laws to protect whistleblowers.
“This is compounded by ineffective access to information laws that would enable them and others to obtain information held by public bodies and empower them to hold powerful individuals and entities to account, as well as the lack of effective and independent judicial institutions that could provide access to justice and effective remedies for human rights violations,” it said.
The statement observed that although efforts had been made over the years to enact a whistleblower protection law, particularly since the introduction of the whistleblowing policy by the Nigerian government in December 2016, such efforts had proved unsuccessful.
It paid tribute to the efforts of civil society organizations and partners, including the media, in the last five years, which had ensured “some level of awareness about whistleblowing and willingness on the part of patriotic Nigerians to blow the whistle on corruption and other wrongdoing in the interest of the public.”
Stakeholders expected at the policy roundtable are drawn from civil society organizations, media, the National Assembly, public interest lawyers, and government institutions, including the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, law enforcement, and anti-corruption agencies.
Among other things, participants will take stock of the situation of whistleblowing and whistleblowers in Nigeria, the current position of the draft whistleblower protection law, and challenges and opportunities in the quest to have a whistleblower protection law in Nigeria.
News
AWESSA 2026: Customs Assures Border Cooperation for Women Entrepreneurs
By James Samuel, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service has said the nation’s borders must become gateways of opportunity for African women entrepreneurs, not obstacles that kill their businesses.
This was disclosed at the African Women’s Economic Sovereignty Summit and Awards (AWESSA) 2026 held at the Customs House, corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, his representative, an Assistant Controller, said hosting the summit inside Customs premises was deliberate.
“That this summit holds within the Customs premises is no accident. It is a statement of intent,” he said.
“The border is where the promise of every African trader either comes alive or dies quietly. And the men and women of this Service have resolved that for every woman entrepreneur of this continent, that promise will never die.”
He said women account for an estimated 70% of informal cross-border trade in Africa and over half of agricultural labour, yet they face documentation, standards, finance and harassment challenges.
“Too often she meets the border as an obstacle rather than a gateway. Because she trades in small volumes, in cash, in informality without formal papers, capable business women are now trapped in informality, invisible to trade statistics,” he noted.
He added: “AfCFTA will not be delivered by treaties alone. It will be delivered at border posts, in conference halls, and in market stores.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, represented by a Director, said women are central to Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.
According to her, NEPC’s focus is now on building export- ready competitive enterprises through programmes like the Women in Export Initiative, Export Clinic, and Zero to Export.
“Our focus is no longer on encouraging exports alone, it is on building competitive export-ready enterprises. We are supporting women to move beyond production into value addition, quality assurance, standard compliance, branding and market positioning,” she said.
She said AfCFTA offers a market of over one billion people, but women need knowledge, certifications and institutional support.
“Empowering women economically is one of the most effective tools for achieving poverty reduction, food security, job creation and inclusive growth,” she stated.
The Convener, Helen Okon, who is the Publisher of Business Review Africa & Africa Today Magazine, as well as representatives of NAFDAC DG and NEXIM Bank MD, reaffirmed commitment to supporting women-owned businesses access standards, certification and finance.
The summit, with the theme of positioning women as drivers of trade and sustainable development, is part of activities marking the International Year of the Women Farmer.
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