Nigeria Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act 2015 — GBV Criminalisation Across 34 States

The Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 is Nigeria's first federal statute comprehensively addressing gender-based violence. Enacted for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and requiring state-level domestication in Nigeria's 36 states, it expands the legal definition of rape to include anal and oral penetration and male victims, criminalises female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C), recognises coercive control, and prohibits harmful traditional practices including forced marriage and child marriage.

As of mid-2024, 34 of 36 states had enacted state versions of the VAPP Act; only Kano and Rivers states had not yet passed it (Partners Nigeria VAPP Tracker, 2024). A 2024 Westminster Foundation for Democracy impact assessment of twelve states found increased GBV reporting and greater police awareness of the Act's provisions, though enforcement capacity remains weak in most states.

A peer-reviewed multi-year study published in BMC Public Health (2025) found that state-level adoption of VAPP was associated with statistically significant declines in FGM/C prevalence across survey cohorts, providing causal evidence of behavioural impact. However, the same study acknowledged that awareness of the law outpaces enforcement in many rural areas.

Caution: In August 2024, a bill to repeal and re-enact the VAPP Act scaled second reading in the Senate (sponsored by Senator Jibrin Isah). Civil society and women's rights organisations mounted strong public opposition, characterising the repeal as a regression. As of early 2025, the bill remained under Senate Committee review. This legislative risk reduces certainty about the Act's long-term form.

Read the full analysis: https://www.partnersnigeria.org/vapp-tracker/