New Legal Protections Coming: What the VAPP Act Review Means for Survivors
If you've never had to think about Nigeria's laws on domestic and sexual violence before, here's the short version: the main law protecting survivors nationally is the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 — usually just called the VAPP Act. It's currently domesticated (adopted) in 35 of Nigeria's 36 states, working alongside the Child Rights Act, which is now domesticated in all 36.
Both laws are currently undergoing legislative review by the National Assembly — and the changes being discussed matter, especially for anyone navigating abuse that doesn't look like what older laws were written to address.
What's being reviewed, and why it matters
The review is specifically looking at emerging issues that weren't well covered when these laws were first written, including:
- Technology-facilitated violence — things like being tracked through a phone, threatened over text or social media, or having someone control your device access as a form of abuse
- Online exploitation — non-consensual sharing of images, blackmail using private content, and harassment carried out digitally rather than in person
If you've experienced abuse that involved a phone, a social media account, or the internet in any way, this matters directly to you. Many survivors don't realize that digital coercion — constant monitoring, threats sent online, or exploitation using photos or messages — can already fall under existing protections, and future updates aim to make that even clearer. Read more in our related post, When Abuse Moves Online.
What the VAPP Act already covers
Even before this review concludes, the VAPP Act already prohibits a wide range of harm, including:
- Physical, sexual, psychological, and economic abuse
- Forced isolation and confinement
- Harmful traditional practices
- Denial of access to healthcare or education as a form of control
What this means for you, practically
You don't need to wait for legal reform to seek help. If something has happened to you — whether it fits neatly into a legal category in your mind or not — DSVSF's legal aid team can help you understand:
- Whether what you've experienced is covered under current law
- What a protection order is, and how to request one
- What court accompaniment looks like, step by step
- How to file a police report safely, with support
All of this is provided free of charge, and you're never obligated to pursue prosecution just because you reach out for information.
Contact DSVSF's Legal Aid team: +234 808 190 7305 — available 24/7 — or call the Lagos DSVA 24/7 line — 0800 033 3333 — for immediate support.
Source: Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Ministerial statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, June 2026.