By Joy Baba-Yesufu
The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) will on Thursday, September 18, 2025, host Nigeria’s first National Interactive Forum for Judges on Whistleblowing and Whistleblower Protection in Abuja.
Organised in partnership with Tap iNitiative, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), and the Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development (PRIMORG), the forum is themed: “The Judiciary and Whistleblower Protection in Nigeria: Challenges and Responsibilities.”
AFRICMIL described the gathering as a landmark step in strengthening judicial understanding of the courts’ role in protecting whistleblowers and shaping Nigeria’s emerging legal framework on whistleblowing. The event also forms part of the organisation’s ongoing campaign for the enactment of a dedicated whistleblower protection law.
The workshop will bring together selected Federal High Court judges from all six geopolitical zones, along with heads of anti-corruption agencies, police representatives, civil society actors and the media while the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, will deliver the keynote address, after which a five-member panel will offer reflections and recommendations.
Dr. Chido Onumah, AFRICMIL’s Coordinator, said the judiciary is central to an effective whistleblower protection regime. “Passing a law is only the first step. Its true impact depends on how the courts interpret and enforce it. This forum will create an opportunity for dialogue between judges and civil society on how best to safeguard whistleblowers,” he noted.
Discussions will focus on issues such as balancing transparency with national security, protecting anonymity, and adjudicating retaliation cases. Participants will also explore best practices and strategies for building a harmonised approach to whistleblower litigation.
AFRICMIL highlighted that nine years after Nigeria introduced its whistleblower policy through the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), the absence of a dedicated law has weakened public confidence. While the policy initially led to significant recoveries of stolen funds, the lack of legal protection has discouraged citizens from reporting corruption.
The forum is supported by the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF), the MacArthur Foundation, the Whistleblowing International Network (WIN), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN)
