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AHERI, Advocacy for Healing, Empowerment and Resilience Initiative
State domestication · Signed May 2015 · AHERI RECHT

Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015

Nigeria's main law against gender based violence. It protects every person from violence at home, in school, at work and in public, and gives survivors a right to protection and support.

Key provisions

1Widens the definition of rape to protect any person, and provides for a register of convicted sex offenders.
2Makes female genital mutilation a crime.
3Makes forcing a person out of their home, harmful widowhood practices and abandoning a spouse or children crimes.
4Makes spousal battery, and emotional, verbal and psychological abuse, crimes.
5Makes attacks with harmful substances, such as acid, a crime.
6Allows survivors to ask a court for a protection order.
7Gives survivors a right to medical, psychological, social and legal support, and to rehabilitation.
8Applies directly in the FCT. Each state must pass its own version for it to apply there.

Where it stands across Nigeria

As reported in May 2026, every state except Kano has adopted the VAPP law. Lagos and Ekiti also have their own comparable laws on domestic and gender based violence. In the FCT the federal law applies directly.

Abia State: VAPP law passedAdamawa State: VAPP law passedAkwa Ibom State: VAPP law passedAnambra State: VAPP law passedBauchi State: VAPP law passedBayelsa State: VAPP law passedBenue State: VAPP law passedBorno State: VAPP law passedCross River State: VAPP law passedDelta State: VAPP law passedEbonyi State: VAPP law passedEdo State: VAPP law passedEkiti State: Comparable state lawEnugu State: VAPP law passedGombe State: VAPP law passedImo State: VAPP law passedJigawa State: VAPP law passedKaduna State: VAPP law passedKano State: Not yet passedKatsina State: VAPP law passedKebbi State: VAPP law passedKogi State: VAPP law passedKwara State: VAPP law passedLagos State: Comparable state lawNasarawa State: VAPP law passedNiger State: VAPP law passedOgun State: VAPP law passedOndo State: VAPP law passedOsun State: VAPP law passedOyo State: VAPP law passedPlateau State: VAPP law passedRivers State: VAPP law passedSokoto State: VAPP law passedTaraba State: VAPP law passedYobe State: VAPP law passedZamfara State: VAPP law passedFederal Capital Territory: Federal law applies directly
Tap or hover over a state to see its name and status.
VAPP law passed 33 of 37Federal law applies directly 1 of 37Comparable state law 2 of 37Not yet passed 1 of 37
All 36 states and the FCT
VAPP law passed (33)
Federal law applies directly (1)
Comparable state law (2)
Not yet passed (1)
What it means for you

Violence at home, in school or online is a crime. If it is happening to you, you have a right to protection orders, medical care and support.

How AHERI uses this law

AHERI RECHT explains the VAPP Act in Know Your Rights sessions at the CARE CIRCLE and helps survivors report safely through the CARE HUB.

SourcesVanguard, 3 May 2026Partners West Africa Nigeria, VAPP Tracker
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