The President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Justice Ricardo Gonçalves, has called on civil society organisations (CSOs) to take a central role in ensuring the enforcement of the court’s decisions, warning that “justice without enforcement remains incomplete.”
Justice Gonçalves made the appeal on Wednesday while addressing Nigerian CSOs during the second day of the court’s engagement with non-state actors in Abuja.
He described Nigerian civil society as among the most vibrant on the continent and said its strength makes sustained dialogue on regional justice both timely and necessary.
According to Justice Gonçalves, the enforcement of the court’s judgments goes beyond institutional responsibility and requires active civic engagement. “Civil society plays an absolutely central role in the enforcement of this court’s decisions.
Enforcement is not merely an administrative matter; it is also a matter of civic monitoring, strategic advocacy, public awareness, and constructive law-based engagement,” he said.
He outlined several key roles for CSOs, including monitoring compliance, producing independent reports, raising awareness among national authorities, promoting strategic litigation, and educating citizens on the importance of Community justice.
“In modern times, civil society serves as the bridge between judicial decisions and their practical realisation,” he added.
Justice Gonçalves expressed confidence that Nigeria, as a founding member of ECOWAS, has the institutional capacity and civic strength to become a regional example in enforcing the Court’s decisions.
He urged closer collaboration between public institutions and civil society to strengthen the rule of law and ensure justice for ECOWAS citizens.
Speaking on behalf of CSOs, the Executive Director of Digicivic Initiative, Mojirayo Ogunlana, said civil society was committed to working with state and regional institutions to ensure that court judgments translate into tangible outcomes. “Civil society is not here merely to criticise. We are partners in strengthening justice systems.
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We stand ready to collaborate with governments, regional bodies, and the judiciary to build frameworks that make enforcement achievable and sustainable,” she said.
Ogunlana stressed that the authority of a court rests not only on the quality of its judgments but also on the willingness of states to comply with them, noting that enforcement is a legal and moral obligation arising from membership of a rules-based regional community.
The Acting Registrar of Appeals, Arbitration, and Enforcement, Yusuf Danmadami, described the engagement as productive, revealing that several proposals had emerged from the deliberations.
The court is reportedly working on a comprehensive draft plan to advance enforcement across member states.
Despite being binding, final, and immediately enforceable under ECOWAS law, the enforcement of the court’s judgments has remained a major challenge across West Africa.
Weak national mechanisms have limited the practical impact of many rulings, even as the court continues to provide citizens a vital avenue for redress against human rights violations and breaches of Community law.