Northwest Nigeria Expands Access to Justice with New Mediation Systems

Katsina, Zamfara Embrace Out-of-Court Justice as New Mediation Laws Take Shape

In a significant boost to access to justice in Nigeria’s Northwest, Katsina State has fully operationalized its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) law, while Zamfara State awaits gubernatorial assent for a similar framework. Both developments aim to provide faster, cheaper, and more community-sensitive resolutions to conflicts, especially in areas heavily impacted by insecurity.

The progress was highlighted during a capacity-building training organized by the peacebuilding organization International Alert Nigeria, which brought together justice officials from both states to strengthen their skills in mediation and conflict resolution.

Katsina’s Growing Mediation Network

Abdulrahman Lawal Buhari, Director of Citizens’ Rights and Head of the Mediation Centre in Katsina State, explained that Governor Mallam Umar Radda, Ph.D., has already signed the ADR law into effect, establishing a network of six mediation centres across the state.

“We have headquarters in Katsina, with branches in Daura, Malumfashi, Funtua, Dutsinma, and Kankia,” Buhari stated. “In many affected areas, people do not require the formal rigors of the court. They can resolve disputes amicably with the support of the mediation centres.”

He noted that International Alert has been a key partner, supporting the Ministry of Justice and facilitating knowledge exchange, including a successful access-to-justice forum in Sokoto in February 2024.

Zamfara’s Multi-Door Courthouse on the Horizon

In Zamfara, a bill to establish a Multi-Door Courthouse—a framework that channels disputes toward mediation, arbitration, and other ADR mechanisms—was passed by the State Assembly in November 2025 and now awaits the governor’s assent.

Sunday Momoh Jimoh, Program Manager for International Alert Nigeria, shared that the organization supported the Ministry of Justice in drafting the bill. “The ministry reached out to us, learning from our work in Zamfara and Katsina. That collaboration led to this training,” he said.

Training for Effective Implementation

The training, held in Gusau, aimed to equip future staff of Zamfara’s Multi-Door Courthouse and Katsina’s mediation centres with practical skills to implement the new frameworks.

“Although staff in Zamfara are yet to be formally appointed, we are training key stakeholders from the Ministry of Justice and the judiciary who will form the core of the structure,” Momoh Jimoh explained. “This ensures the right people have the capacity to hit the ground running.”

Backed by International Support

The initiative falls under the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRING) program, funded by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and implemented by Tetra Tech International in consortium with the Centre for Democracy and Development and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.

Mrs. Priscilla Ankut, Deputy Team Leader for SPRING, emphasized the program’s goal: to support conflict-sensitive policies and improve access to justice, particularly in regions where formal court systems are often overstretched or inaccessible.

A Step Toward Sustainable Peace

With rising insecurity and judicial delays in Northwest Nigeria, these ADR mechanisms offer a timely alternative. They empower communities to resolve disputes locally, reduce court backlogs, and foster reconciliation—a vital ingredient for long-term peacebuilding.

As Zamfara prepares to join Katsina in formalizing out-of-court dispute resolution, the partnership between state governments and international organizations highlights a growing shift toward sustainable, community-led justice in the region.