NHRC defends 2024 spending, proposes increased allocation for 2025

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has presented its 2024 budget performance and defended its proposed 2025 budget before the Joint Committees on Human Rights of the Senate and House of Representatives.

The budget presentation which was held on Monday at the National Assembly Complex, highlighted the Commission’s efforts to address pressing human rights issues amidst growing economic challenges and human rights concerns in the country

Speaking during the session Chaired and Co-Chaired by Senator Adegbomire Adeniyi SAN Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Hon Peter Makinde, Chair House of Representative Committee on Human Rights, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, OFR, SAN, provided a comprehensive breakdown of the Commission’s ₦5 billion allocation for 2024.

He revealed that the budget achieved an unprecedented 99.999% implementation rate, which included the construction and completion of eight state offices across the country. This achievement, he emphasized, was remarkable given the Commission’s limited resources.

The Executive Secretary further outlined the Commission’s proposal for a ₦8 billion budget for 2025, representing an increase from the previous year.
The proposed budget, he said, aims to address emerging human rights challenges such as terrorism, communal conflicts, insurgency, natural disasters like floods, and the rising cost of operations due to inflation and an increased payroll.

“The proposed budget will strengthen the Commission’s capacity to address pressing human rights issues in Nigeria,” Ojukwu stated.

The proposal includes funding for the establishment of more human rights offices across the country to improve access to the services of the Commission, especially in states where our services are not felt.

These efforts, according to the Executive Secretary, are essential for enhancing the Commission’s independence and effectiveness.

“This proposed budget reflects our determination to create a more inclusive and just society,” Ojukwu said.

“It will enable us to expand our reach, respond swiftly to human rights violations, and engage effectively with communities to promote awareness and accountability.”

Before ending his presentation, Ojukwu appealed to lawmakers to consider increasing the proposed budget from ₦8 billion to ₦19.55 billion.

He explained that the growing volume of complaints, over 2 million annually and the cost of investigating each case is straining the Commission’s resources.
“For instance, investigating a single case costs approximately ₦8,000. To investigate 2 million cases effectively, the Commission would require ₦16 billion. The current allocation of ₦8 billion is grossly inadequate to meet this demand,” Ojukwu argued.

Members of the Joint Committees commended the NHRC for its strategic focus and commitment to its mandate. While some lawmakers sought clarifications on specific aspects of the proposal, which the Executive Secretary addressed, some consequently raised their concerns.

If approved, the proposed allocation would represent a critical step towards addressing persistent human rights challenges in Nigeria, including gender-based violence, child rights violations, and police brutality, public inquiries on various investigative panels among others.

The National Assembly is expected to conclude deliberations on the budget proposal in the coming weeks.