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Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recorded 3,724,822 human rights violation complaints across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in 2025, according to data released on Tuesday.

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Tony Ojukwu, SAN, disclosed this during the presentation of the December Human Rights Dashboard and Observatory Reports. He said the cases reflect deep-rooted systemic problems, including inequality, unemployment, weak institutions and limited access to justice.

The report noted that the Human Rights Dashboard serves not only as a reporting platform but also as an early-warning and prevention tool, stressing that progress in 2025 was strongest where government agencies, civil society, traditional institutions and communities worked together.

Looking ahead to 2026, he expressed cautious optimism, saying the NHRC would focus on strengthening early-warning mechanisms, deepening engagement with security agencies on human rights compliance, expanding access to justice for women, children and marginalised groups, and leveraging technology and partnerships to improve reporting and response.

Senior Human Rights Adviser to the UN in Nigeria, Adwoa Kufuor, acknowledged ongoing challenges such as insecurity, economic pressure and shrinking civic space, but said there was growing momentum through justice reforms and the National Human Rights Action Plan, pledging continued UN support.

Presenting the data, NHRC Senior Human Rights Adviser Hiliary Ogbonna said the North Central zone recorded the highest number of complaints, with 1,317,213 cases, while Benue State led in reported violations of children’s rights. He added that the commission investigated 52,489 cases in 2025 but faced serious funding constraints.