Your Rights
Your rights matter most when someone is testing them. Each guide starts from what is happening to you, explains what the law protects, and tells you plainly when you need a lawyer.
Rights guides
Every guide names the instrument it relies on and the date it was last reviewed.
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You are stopped on the road or in a public place
The Constitution protects your dignity and your freedom whenever you deal with the police. Learn what you can ask, what to carry, and how to keep an ordinary stop calm.
SourceConstitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) — Chapter IV, sections 34 and 35
Read the guideA person has been taken into custody
Section 35 of the Constitution protects your freedom and says how soon an arrested person must be taken to court. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 adds more protections that are worth knowing before you ever need them.
SourceAdministration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 — Read alongside Constitution 1999 (as amended), s. 35
Read the guideA person is in custody and release is being discussed
Bail means being let out, on conditions, while your case goes on. It is decided by the police or a court. It is not a price for your freedom, and it does not mean you are guilty or innocent.
SourceAdministration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 — Read alongside Constitution 1999 (as amended), s. 35
Read the guideAn organisation is collecting information about you
Section 37 of the Constitution protects your privacy, your home and your messages. The Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 adds rules for anyone who collects or uses information about you.
SourceNigeria Data Protection Act 2023 — Read alongside Constitution 1999 (as amended), s. 37
Read the guideSomething has changed about your job or your pay
Your written contract, the Labour Act and your workplace rules together decide what your employer can and cannot do. Know which one answers which question.
SourceLabour Act, Cap L1 LFN 2004
Read the guideYou are facing a charge, a claim or a disciplinary process
Section 36 of the Constitution gives you the right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time. It applies in court, and the same ideas of fairness apply in tribunals and workplace disciplinary meetings too.
SourceConstitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) — Chapter IV, section 36
Read the guideA product failed or a service was not delivered
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 protects buyers and set up the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). Knowing how to complain matters as much as knowing your rights.
SourceFederal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018
Read the guide