Lagos, Canada collaborate to deepen justice sector reform
Lagos State and the Government of Canada have initiated steps to deepen justice-sector cooperation. Representatives of the Canadian justice sector were in Lagos last week and held collaborative meeting with
Lagos State and the Government of Canada have initiated steps to deepen justice-sector cooperation.
Representatives of the Canadian justice sector were in Lagos last week and held collaborative meeting with their Lagos State counterparts.
At the end of the meeting, both parties agreed in a sustained institutional collaboration under the Canada–Nigeria Justice Cooperation Project.
Speaking at the collaborative meeting held at Isaac John Street , GRA Ikeja, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Lawal Pedro (SAN), remarked that cross-border partnerships had become increasingly vital to strengthening justice delivery and institutional capacity in the state.
Pedro said Lagos, being Nigeria’s most populous and economically strategic state, and with rapid urbanisation, migration, inequality and population growth, is experiencing mounting pressures on the justice sector.
He said these realities demand a justice system that is modern, coordinated and forward-looking.
According to him, “effective justice delivery goes beyond enacting strong laws. It requires responsive institutions, professional capacity and strategic partnerships.”
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The Lagos Attorney General said the State Ministry of Justice, over the years, had pursued deliberate reforms through policy initiatives, legislative interventions and the establishment of specialised institutions to enhance accountability, efficiency and public confidence.
He said agencies such as the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, the Law Reform Commission, the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency and the State Task Force Against Human Trafficking operate within an integrated framework.
“These institutions support prosecution, law reform, victim support and inter-agency coordination,” he said.
“Our multi-agency response system combines prosecution with medical care, psychological counselling, emergency rescue, shelters, rehabilitation programmes and financial support for survivors,” he said, citing services provided through the Mirabel Centre.
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Pedro said the new Canada–Nigeria Justice Cooperation Project offered opportunities for collaboration in capacity building, policy development, legal reform, data management and operational coordination.
“Canada’s experience in rights-based justice and institutional accountability presents valuable learning opportunities,” he said.
“At the same time, Lagos’ experience in managing justice delivery in a large, diverse and rapidly growing urban environment offers practical insights,” he said adding, “international cooperation should be built on mutual respect, shared values and measurable outcomes.”
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Earlier, Co-Director of the Canada–Nigeria Justice Cooperation Project and counsel with Canada’s Department of Justice, Ms Genevieve Westrope, said Canada’s engagement with Nigeria was based on a technical assistance framework that supports structured and time-bound cooperation.
Ms Westrope explained that her country’s involvement followed a request from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Women Affairs for legal technical assistance in addressing ethnic violence and child protection.
She said their engagement in Lagos revealed broader areas of shared interest.
According to her, the Canadian delegation had earlier engaged government institutions and civil society organisations in Abuja before visiting Lagos.
She describing the state as a hub of institutional coordination and innovation.
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“We heard consistently, that Lagos has developed strong systems and collaborative approaches.
“We are here to understand how these systems work and to identify areas for mutual knowledge exchange,” Westrope said.
She added that the delegation was in Lagos primarily to listen and learn, describing the engagement as one of the highlights of the team’s visit to Nigeria.
In his remark, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mr Hameed Oyenuga, said international cooperation offered a valuable opportunity for institutional reflection and improvement.
“Our mandate covers legal advisory services, policy formulation, legislative drafting, criminal prosecution, civil litigation and oversight of specialised agencies,” Oyenuga said.
He expressed confidence that the meeting would lay the foundation for sustained Lagos–Canada cooperation, not only in protecting vulnerable persons but also in advancing broader justice-sector reforms with long-term impact.
