Abuja: A nationwide survey by Invictus Africa, a civic-tech organisation, reveals that 50.7 per cent of Nigeria's population remain unfamiliar with the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act. This insight comes a decade after the law was enacted on May 25, 2015.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the organisation's Executive Director, Bukky Shonibare, presented the findings during the release of a one-year survey report in Abuja. The report, titled "Beyond Enactment: A Data-Driven Survey Report on the Implementation of the VAPP Act (2015) and Related State Laws," evaluates the reach and influence of the Act on Nigerians. Data was gathered from 11,574 respondents across 35 states, excluding Kano and the FCT, employing a mixed-methods strategy that combined quantitative data with qualitative insights from key informant interviews with government officials.
The survey concentrated on four main areas: public awareness, enforcement systems, support services, and coordination mechanisms. Shonibare pointed out that despite efforts by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to conduct public awareness campaigns about the VAPP Law, there remains a substantial gap between institutional initiatives and community impact. Only 49.3 per cent of those surveyed have ever heard of the VAPP Law, and of these, only 29 per cent reported a good understanding of its provisions.
Educational attainment was found to significantly influence awareness levels. Individuals with little to no formal education were less likely to be aware of the law compared to those with higher education. The report found that 55.4 per cent of graduates and 60.6 per cent of postgraduates were aware of the law, suggesting that current awareness strategies are failing to reach the most vulnerable segments. Geographic and occupational disparities were also evident, with rural residents less aware than their urban counterparts.
Regarding enforcement, Shonibare disclosed that only 23 states had established sex offenders' registers, and just 18 had integrated these into Gender-Based Violence (GBV) tracking systems, severely limiting their effectiveness. Furthermore, a lack of comprehensive data on Protection Orders in 19 states highlighted critical monitoring and accountability gaps in the judicial system.
The report also revealed that while 30 states had mandatory reporting clauses, 15 lacked penalties for non-compliance, thereby reducing their deterrent effect. This inconsistency was reflected in prosecution data, with only 21 states recording more than 20 VAPP-related prosecutions in the past year. States with penalties for non-reporting had a higher prosecution rate.
Shonibare emphasized the need to bridge the gap between the law's provisions and Nigerians' lived experiences. She called for expanded public awareness campaigns, stronger enforcement systems, improved survivor support services, and institutionalized coordination mechanisms to ensure the VAPP Act fulfills its promise of protection.
Hajiya Binta Bello, Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), noted the agency's success in securing 36 convictions, including two life sentences, as a result of over 3,000 gender-based violence reports. However, she acknowledged that factors such as a culture of silence, religious interference, and lack of awareness hinder the implementation of the VAPP Act.