NAPTIP Calls for Joint Action Against SGBV

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has called for a stronger alliance among government agencies, security institutions, community leaders, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to tackle the persistent challenge of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Nigeria.

The agency said ending SGBV requires a coordinated national response that goes beyond investigations and arrests to include prevention, survivor protection, access to healthcare, effective prosecution and sustained public awareness.

NAPTIP’s position comes as it steps up community-based sensitisation and advocacy programmes aimed at confronting violence against persons and human trafficking, particularly in communities where victims may face difficulties accessing formal protection and justice services.

The agency stressed that no single institution can effectively address the scale and complexity of SGBV. It urged traditional and religious leaders, healthcare professionals, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, the judiciary and community groups to work together to identify cases early, support survivors and ensure suspected perpetrators are properly reported and investigated.

According to NAPTIP, weak coordination between institutions can create gaps that allow cases to stall at different stages — from initial reporting and evidence gathering to investigation and prosecution.

Recent stakeholder engagements have reinforced the need for stronger institutional cooperation. In June 2026, NAPTIP joined the Nigeria Police Force, National Human Rights Commission, state GBV committees and the Lagos State Ministry of Justice in discussions focused on improving institutional capacity and strengthening strategies for preventing violence against women and girls.

Participants also identified evidence management as a critical area requiring attention. Stakeholders have advocated the increased use of technology to improve the collection, documentation and management of evidence in SGBV cases, warning that weak evidence can undermine investigations and make successful prosecution more difficult.

NAPTIP is also placing greater emphasis on community leadership.

The agency has urged traditional and religious leaders to resist informal settlements of serious sexual offences, including rape and incest, and instead ensure such cases are reported to the appropriate authorities.

It has equally stressed the need to preserve evidence following sexual assaults, noting that proper documentation can significantly strengthen the prosecution of offenders.

The scale of the challenge is reflected in NAPTIP’s data. The agency recorded 1,278 SGBV complaints in the Federal Capital Territory in 2023, with spousal battery accounting for the largest proportion of reported cases.

However, the agency has noted that rising reports should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that violence is increasing. Higher reporting can also reflect greater awareness and improved confidence among survivors and witnesses in available response mechanisms.

That confidence, NAPTIP suggested, must be sustained by an effective institutional response.

When victims report abuse and see authorities respond appropriately, more survivors may feel encouraged to break their silence and seek help.

Across Nigeria, collaboration is increasingly emerging as a central component of the SGBV response. In June 2026, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency partnered with the New Era Foundation to establish a safe haven and rehabilitation facility for survivors of gender-based violence.

The initiative demonstrates how government and private-sector organisations can combine resources and expertise to provide protection, rehabilitation and support for vulnerable people.

Efforts are also being directed towards tackling sexual and gender-based violence in schools. Through the European Union-supported End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Programme, NAPTIP has worked with justice, education, security and civil society stakeholders to strengthen understanding of legal procedures for prosecuting perpetrators of school-related violence.

For NAPTIP, these initiatives reinforce a fundamental reality: SGBV cannot be defeated through enforcement alone.

Prevention must go hand in hand with public education, survivor-centred support, medical assistance, effective evidence gathering, professional investigations and timely prosecution.

The agency is therefore pushing for a more connected national response — one where institutions share information, communities report abuse, survivors receive timely assistance and perpetrators are held accountable.

Ultimately, NAPTIP believes that stronger partnerships can help close the gaps that allow SGBV cases to disappear within the system and move Nigeria closer to a society where survivors are protected and offenders are brought to justice.