SDG 16: CISLAC blames weak implementation for Nigeria’s governance setback

…raises alarm over political interference, kidnapping, asset secrecy

Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Comrade Auwal Ibrahim Rafsanjani, has expressed reservations over Nigeria’s progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16, which focuses on peace, justice and strong institutions.

Rafsanjani, who doubles as Head of Transparency International Nigeria, expressed the concern during the launch of the ninth Nigeria SDG 16 Shadow Report at a side event of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He frowned at the persistent weaknesses in the implementation, enforcement, transparency and institutional accountability of the initiatives.

Rafsanjani said the report, covering the period from July 2025 to August 2026, provides an independent assessment of Nigeria’s progress and setbacks in implementing SDG 16, which seeks to promote peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice, and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions.

According to him, Nigeria recorded important institutional and enforcement actions, particularly in the areas of illicit financial flows, asset recovery and anti-money laundering, but said the developments had yet to translate into corresponding improvements in the country’s legal framework, public confidence, transparency and access to information.

“Our findings point to persistent governance challenges. While Nigeria has made legislative and policy advances, implementation and enforcement remain weak, inconsistent and, in some cases, undermined by political interference,” he said.

The CISLAC helmsman stressed the need to protect institutions established to serve the public interest from undue influence, while strengthening their independence, transparency and accountability.

He said political corruption continued to undermine anti-corruption efforts, while concerns over asset declaration and unexplained wealth raised critical questions about the management and protection of public resources.

Rafsanjani also expressed concern over the transparency surrounding asset recovery, noting that the public was often not adequately informed about the processes involved or what happened to assets recovered by the government.

“We also continue to witness asset recoveries without sufficient transparency about the process and, importantly, what happens to recovered assets afterwards,” he said, warning that without effective post-recovery tracking and public accountability, recovered assets could become vulnerable to mismanagement and reproduce the cycle of corruption.

The report, according to him, also highlighted what he described as the erosion of institutional integrity, particularly within the judiciary, security institutions and electoral bodies, which he identified as fundamental pillars of democratic governance.

He said public confidence in the institutions remained a major concern, citing allegations involving senior judicial figures, concerns surrounding electoral processes and weaknesses in the vetting of political appointees as issues requiring stronger safeguards and institutional accountability.

Another major concern raised by the report was the growing scale of insecurity in the country, particularly the commercialisation of kidnapping for ransom, which Rafsanjani said had implications beyond conventional security concerns.

“This is not simply a security challenge. It has profound implications for governance, economic development, human rights and the rule of law,” he said, stressing that citizens who could not live, work or travel without fear could not enjoy the foundations of peaceful and inclusive societies.

Rafsanjani said the challenges identified by the report demonstrated why SDG 16 remained central to Nigeria’s broader development agenda, insisting that peace, justice and strong institutions were the foundation upon which sustainable development must be built.

With 2030, the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, approaching, he said Nigeria faced an urgent implementation challenge, stressing that the country did not lack laws, policies or institutions, but needed to ensure that existing frameworks worked effectively, consistently and in the public interest.

He described the ninth Nigeria SDG 16 Shadow Report as “both a mirror and a roadmap”, saying it reflected the country’s current position while pointing towards the reforms required to achieve meaningful progress.

Rafsanjani called on the Federal Government, civil society organisations, development partners and the international community to renew their commitment to SDG 16 through concrete and measurable action, including strengthening institutions, protecting civic space, improving transparency, ensuring access to information, safeguarding public resources and upholding the rule of law.

He maintained that “National development cannot be sustained without justice, accountability and strong institutions”, adding that if Nigeria was to fulfil the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals and truly leave no one behind, the country must move “from commitments to implementation and from institutions on paper to institutions that work for the people.”