Nigeria: National Commission for Refugees Act 1989
Published: 29/Dec/1989
The National Commission for Refugees Act governs the entry, treatment and rights of refugees whilst in Nigeria. Part I of the Act defines who may be deemed a refugee and under what circumstances they will be able to remain in Nigeria. Part II explains the functions of the National Commission for refugees, which, pursuant to s.4(1)(a), is charged with setting the general guidelines and overall policy for issues relating to refugees. Part III of the Act lays out the functions of the Federal Commissioner for Refugees, which includes the granting of refugee status to applicants based on the recommendations of the Eligibility Committee (s.5(1)(a)). A Refugee Appeal Board is established under Part IV of the Act. Part V specifies the procedures for seeking refugee status in Nigeria. With respect to obtaining citizenship, s.17 establishes that the refugee must first satisfy the necessary criteria for acquiring Nigerian nationality subject to the relevant laws and regulations. Once satisfied, the Federal Commissioner shall use his ‘best endeavours’ to assist a refugee to acquire the status of naturalization. Download file: here.