When stakeholders gathered in PH to discuss child, family law

By** Vivian onyebukwa **

The inaugural Child and Family Law Conference 2026, convened in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently. The two-day programme drew over 1,580 registered participants from all 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for a major national conversation on child justice, children’s rights, family law and institutional reform.

Held at the Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute, Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, the two-day conference was organised by Sceptre and Prima Legal Consulting, under the theme “Advancing Child Justice Administration in Nigeria: Law and Practice.”

The event created a high-level platform for judicial officers, legal practitioners, academics, policymakers, social welfare professionals, child protection actors, development partners, students, parents, and young people to examine the gap between Nigeria’s child justice laws and their practical implementation.

According to the conference organisers, the forum was designed to promote informed, practical, and rights-based approaches to child justice administration in Nigeria through dialogue, scholarship, institutional reflection, and cross-sector collaboration.

In a keynote address delivered by Hon. Justice Rita C. Oguguo, PhD, Judge of the Family Court, Rivers State Judiciary, set the tone for discussions on the urgent need to strengthen child-focused justice systems and ensure that the law responds effectively to the lived realities of Nigerian children.

A special child’s address, titled, “What Does Justice Mean for Children in Nigeria?,” was also delivered by Miss Sarah Ekechukwu, the children’s essay competition winner, reinforcing the conference’s commitment to including children’s voices in conversations about justice, rights and protection.

The programme featured a series of paper presentations and panel sessions addressing some of the most pressing issues in child and family law. Prof. Iyabode Ogunniran, Professor of Law at the University of Lagos, and Executive Director of Voice of the Child Law Centre (ACIS), presented on “Equipping the Legal Practitioner for Nigeria’s Demographic Realities: A Case for Child Justice Education in Legal Training.”

On the second day, Hon. Robert Doya Nanima, member of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and Country Rapporteur to Nigeria, delivered a presentation on, “Correction without Criminalization: The Role of Diversion in Child Justice Administration.”

The conference also hosted four major panel sessions. The first, held alongside the launch of books, focused on “Principles of Child Justice Administration in Nigeria.” Among the panelists were the authors. They included Chisom Sam-Igbokwue, Affiong Ene-Obong, Chioma Oke-Chinda, and Yinka Kusoro, with Dr. Omowumi Komolafe serving as moderator.

The second panel session explored, “AI, the Digital Environment and Children: Navigating and Shaping the New Landscape.” It featured Iniobong Irene Pepple, Ini Macaulay Samuel Igbokwue and a staff of NDPC with Sir Darlynton O. Ofekeze moderating.

Another panel session examined, “Rehabilitation by Design: Rethinking and Reforming Child Detention in Nigeria.” Speakers included Lauretta Davies-Dimkpa, His Worship Elkanah E. Ogeh, Tamunoibuemi Life-George, and Dr. Alimole Chima Obianuju, while Sophia Afolayan, a lawyer, moderated the discussion.

The fourth panel session focused on “Understanding the Rudiments of Adoption: Child Care, Rights and Responsibilities.” Panelists included Funmilayo Adegbola, Florence Koenderink, Chisom Sam-Igbokwue, and Ugwochi Agala, with Monica Akinuli as moderator.

A major highlight of the conference was the unveiling of key child justice and family law knowledge resources. These included the book “Child Justice Administration in Nigeria: Principles, Procedures, and Practice,” a scholarly and accessible resource for legal practitioners, judges, academics, policymakers, law enforcement officers, social workers, development partners and students.

Also unveiled was a children’s book on child justice, titled, “What Does the Law Say,” designed to introduce young readers to the child justice system in Nigeria through clear, engaging and child-friendly explanations.

The conference further marked the maiden edition of the Children’s Rights and Family Law Journal, a peer-reviewed publication dedicated to advancing scholarship and informed discourse on child rights and family law in Nigeria.

Another major launch was the Child Law Repository, “The Child’s Lawyer,” a comprehensive digital repository of legal, policy and practice resources on child rights and child justice administration in Nigeria.

Participants described the conference as a timely intervention in Nigeria’s child justice landscape, particularly at a time when issues around diversion, detention, adoption, digital safety, rehabilitation, legal education and child participation continue to demand coordinated national attention.

By bringing together stakeholders from every state in the country and the FCT, the inaugural Child and Family Law Conference 2026 signalled a growing national commitment to strengthening systems that protect children, support families and promote justice that is accessible, child-sensitive and responsive to Nigeria’s social realities, participants said.

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