By Ayodele Quadri, Lagos Times Correspondent
ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Federal Government, in strategic partnership with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has unveiled a ₦120 million nationwide initiative to provide free pro bono legal representation for vulnerable children and youths across Nigeria.
Unveiled during a high-level stakeholders’ gathering in Abuja on Monday, August 10, 2026, the program aims to address systemic gaps in child protection, curb unlawful child detention, and mobilize lawyers across all NBA branches to defend children in conflict with the law or surviving abuse, exploitation, and trafficking.
Key Operational Highlights
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₦120 Million Strategic Partnership: The NBA and UNICEF have established a dedicated fund to deploy pro bono legal services across priority states, ensuring children receive immediate representation upon entering the justice system.
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Police Station Legal Desks: A core component of the rollout involves setting up dedicated NBA Legal Aid Desks inside police stations to prevent unlawful detention and guarantee prompt legal representation.
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Federal Ministry Guidelines: Representing the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Director Leticia Ayoola-Daniels highlighted the deployment of official Prosecution Guidelines and Legal Aid Guidelines for Children, focusing on diversion, non-custodial measures, and restorative justice.
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Capacity Building for Lawyers: Through the NBA Institute of Continuing Legal Education (NBA-ICLE), legal practitioners nationwide will receive specialized training on child-sensitive advocacy and trauma-informed representation.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ FG - NBA - UNICEF CHILD LEGAL AID INITIATIVE │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Key Partners : Federal Ministry of Justice, NBA, & UNICEF │
│ • Key Figures : • AGF Lateef Fagbemi (rep. by Leticia Ayoola) │
│ • NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) │
│ • UNICEF Representative Wafaa Saeed │
│ │
│ • Project Value : ₦120 Million Pro Bono Legal Aid Framework │
│ │
│ • Core Objective : Provide free legal representation for children │
│ in conflict with the law & victims of abuse │
│ │
│ • Key Innovation : NBA Legal Aid Desks inside police stations │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘“Not Simply an Act of Charity; It Is an Act of Justice”
Addressing legal practitioners and child rights advocates at the launch event, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) stated in comments.
“This partnership marks a shift from broad commitments on child protection to a structured legal response capable of ensuring that vulnerable children have lawyers when they need them… This is not simply an act of charity. It is an act of justice. The true measure of the legal profession includes its ability to protect vulnerable people and strengthen public confidence in the rule of law.” — Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), NBA President
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to child rights reform, Mrs. Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, speaking on behalf of Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), added in coverage .
“Access to justice is not a privilege, it is a fundamental right of every child. A child who comes into contact with the law, whether as a victim, witness, or an actual offender, deserves a system that protects, not harms; that restores, not stigmatises; and that hears, not silences.” — Mrs. Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, Director, Federal Ministry of Justice
“No child should be denied justice because of a lack of legal representation… If every practising lawyer handled even one pro bono child-justice case annually, it could significantly expand access to justice for vulnerable children across Nigeria.” — Wafaa Saeed, UNICEF Country Representative
