The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice (CCJ) has concluded its first-ever meeting of Competent National Authorities (CNAs) with a united front on strengthening the enforcement of its judgments across West Africa, a significant step toward bridging the gap between regional justice decisions and national implementation.
The two-day meeting, held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, from June 23 to 24, featured top legal minds, senior justice officials, and government representatives from ECOWAS member states.
The landmark gathering was hailed by the President of the Court, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, as a defining moment in the push to ensure the Court’s rulings are not only issued but meaningfully enforced.
“We are no longer just diagnosing the problem of non-enforcement, we are now building the architecture for solutions collectively, deliberately and strategically.”
He stated that currently, only 22 per cent of the Court’s judgments have been fully enforced, and only 10 out of 15 member states have designated national authorities to carry out enforcement. This troubling shortfall, long identified as a threat to the ECOWAS justice framework, was addressed head-on during the meeting through policy recommendations, peer learning, and strategic collaboration.
Officials emphasised the legal obligation of states to comply with Court rulings under Article 15 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty and Article 24(4) of the Supplementary Protocol.
Justice Gonçalves therefore urged governments, particularly in dualist legal systems, to fast-track the domestication of ECOWAS instruments and formally empower national enforcement agencies.
Echoing this call, Mr. Nnanna O. Ibom of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Justice who represented the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) noted that, “Our mission going forward must be guided by implementation. Without it, the rule of law becomes a hollow promise.”
Also, Mr. Gaye Sowe, Acting Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court, described the plan as a new chapter in regional legal cooperation, noting that the meeting produced a framework for continued coordination, knowledge exchange, and annual engagement among designated enforcement bodies.
He said, “We aim to institutionalise this gathering; it will not just be ceremonial, it will be practical, with each state learning from the successes and setbacks of others.”
Sowe said there would be rotating future meetings across member states to deepen ownership and foster cross-border innovation in enforcement models.
