Business and Human Rights Bill

Business and Human Rights Bill Policy Overview

What Is This Policy?

A pioneering bill to domesticate the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in Nigerian law, requiring corporations to conduct human rights due diligence and provide effective remedy for rights violations in their operations and supply chains.

Who Does It Target?

Large corporations, multinationals, and extractive industry companies Communities affected by corporate operations (especially oil-producing communities) National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Investors and international companies sourcing from Nigeria

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Impose mandatory human rights due diligence obligations on all large companies Establish effective legal remedies for communities harmed by corporate activities Align Nigeria with emerging EU and international mandatory human rights due diligence standards Strengthen accountability for environmental and human rights violations in the oil and gas sector

Key Features

Current Status

Funding: NHRC government funding; companies bear cost of own due diligence compliance

How to Access

Communities file complaints with NHRC or through company-level grievance mechanisms. Requirements: Any individual, community, or NGO may file a complaint Evidence of corporate human rights violation required Company-level grievance mechanism must be exhausted first before NHRC referral Application method: NHRC: www.nhrc.gov.ng | Company-level mechanisms published on company websites

Important Terms

Companies failing to conduct mandatory due diligence face fines of up to 5% of annual turnover Parent companies can be held liable for subsidiary violations NHRC findings admissible as evidence in civil proceedings against companies

Impact & Metrics

Niger Delta communities alone have filed thousands of unresolved oil pollution complaints; mandatory due diligence could systematically address corporate accountability gaps across Nigeria.

Official Resources

Website: www.nhrc.gov.ng Contact: National Human Rights Commission — [email protected] Federal Republic of Nigeria — Policy Summary Document | March 2026

Legal Framework

The Business and Human Rights Bill, when enacted, would domesticate the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. It would operate alongside the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency Act 2007, and the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. Nigeria's obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights provide constitutional backing.