About Us

The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) is a non-government organization whose goal is to amplify the voice of the weak, the less privileged and the marginalized groups in the society including women, youths, and People Living With Disabilities in order to increase their participation in the democratic decision-making process. As its basis, ANEEJ believes in a democratic system for managing human interest and operates within two broad focal areas namely environmental and economic justice. Specifically, ANEEJ implements projects relating to governance and democracy, human rights (including migration and development issues) and anti-corruption, peace building and conflict resolution, development effectiveness, environment including water, sanitation and hygiene among others.

Since 1997, ANEEJ has championed the call for stoppage of illicit financial flows from Nigeria and other developing countries to the secrecy jurisdictions in western countries. It has in same vein championed the campaign for the  repatriation  of looted assets of Nigeria stashed in Western banks and was active in call for a UN instrument against corruption, money laundering and illicit financial flows. In April 2016, the  UNCAC Coalition Coordination Committee (CCC) approved ANEEJ’s application to become an Ordinary member of the new Association: UNCAC Coalition.

 ANEEJ worked with over 100 civil society organizations while hosting the Secretariat of the Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Campaign, Nigeria from 2004-2008 and the Nigerian Network on Stolen Assets. The organization also coordinated CSOs that were involved in monitoring repatriated Late General Sani Abacha loot under the Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review (PEMFAR), a tripartite agreement between the World Bank, Civil Society and Nigerian governments.

Additionally, ANEEJ is a founding member and currently the Chairperson of Board of Trustees of the Reality of Aid (RoA) Africa, a Sub-sect of Reality of Aid International. It is currently the Nigerian Focal Point for Civil Society Organisations Platform for Development Effectiveness (CPDE) and has contributed to Reality Global and Africa editions since 2004. At the country level, ANEEJ mobilises other CSOs to  engage the National Planning Commission (NPC) on development effectiveness and has over the years  represented a very strong voice for more effective, people-centred aid regime which guarantees transparency and accountability on both donors and the Nigerian government

We have been working in partnership with EURODAD since 1997, based on the memorandum of understanding earlier mentioned. This development led to the organization of our first International Conference on debt in West Africa, which was only next to the launching of Jubilee 2000, Ghana, in April 1998. The conference on debt was organized in Djregbe, Republic of Benin in collaboration with EURODAD and pan African Center for Social Prospects with support from OXFAM UK, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). We have also worked with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and again, the UNDP in organizing the follow-up HIPC/ESAF Conference in Togo. The forum was used by the Breton Woods Institutions to consult with the civil society Organizations which preceded the G-8 meeting in Cologne, Germany.

In July 2005, the Group of 8 (G-8) proposed a debt cancellation deal for 18 countries, 14 of which are in Africa. In September same year, the World Bank and IMF approved this deal through the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI). The MDRI grants debt cancellation to countries that meet certain eligibility requirements, including adherence to economic policies and programs that the World Bank and IMF deem satisfactory. As at December 2007, the World Bank and IMF have approved MDRI debt relief for 25 countries, 19 of which are in Africa. In 2005, Nigeria benefited from debt cancellation of $32billion by the Paris Club of debtors after Nigeria paid $18.124b following increase in oil revenue savings. This provided an annual $1bn debt relief to the Federal Government to finance development in the country under a Policy Support Instrument (PSI) developed from the Nigeria Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) document approved by the IMF. ANEEJ is also a member of the Jubilee Debt Movement calling for the cancellation of illegitimate debts of poor countries.

ANEEJ is working with the Initiative for Youth Awareness on Migration, Immigration, Development and Reintegration (IYAMIDR), Edo Women’s Initiative and the Associazione Iroko Onlus, Italy, to undertake governance work around migration and development in Nigeria. Much of the effort has been on creating enabling environment for our teeming youth with a view to reducing crime, violence, youth restiveness to curb illegal migration and anti-social vices in our society as well as re-integrating returnees back to the society. Also ANEEJ is working with PublicEYE organization on Stop Dirty fuel Campaign in Africa.

ANEEJ advocates the importance of supporting the Nigerian national and state governments in delivering equitable economic development for the Nigerian people. In the last three years, ANEEJ worked with four state governments in the Niger Delta region to build the capacities of five major stakeholders: Executive, Legislature, civil society, media and local authority under the project, “Resource Governance Enhancement” project (REGOND), in the delivery of their work.

ANEEJ is currently implementing the USAID Strengthening Advocacy and Civil Engagement (SACE) Project along with other Niger Delta partners such as Riverine Communities Health Development Organisation, Green Concern for Development and Gender and Development Action. The project is anchored by Chemonics International with funding from USAID and PIND. Specifically, ANEEJ’s SACE project focuses on improving civil society capacity to engage Niger Delta Institutions such as NDDC, Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, EDSOGPADEC and DESOPADEC in order to promote inclusive development in the region.

ANEEJ is presently working with UNDP on the “Support for Anti-corruption In Nigeria” project and has successfully managed project funded by many donors including USAID, DFID/British Council (including J4A and FOSTER), OSIWA, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Canadian and Swiss Embassies, Heinrich Boel Foundation, Global Green Grant, Action Aid, EED (Now Bread for the World) among others.

ANEEJ has been granted Special Consultative Status of Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) by the United Nations with all attendant privileges and Africa Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ)Nigeria Accreditation Document Reference Number :  A/CONF.165/5/Add.2

Our Vision
Africa without Poverty

Our Mission
To contribute to the emergence of a just and equitable African society through socio-economic and environmental rights protection, institutional strengthening and peoples’ empowerment.

Our Objectives

ANEEJ exists to:

  • Create platforms where civil society voices connect into critical masses on key national issues and where/when necessary, advance civil society interest on socioeconomic and environmental rights protection.
  • Build the capacity of civil society actors to better appreciate local, national and international economic governance issues and their connection to poverty incidence, resource conflict and the over-arching economic rights of Nigerians.
  • Mobilize civil society groups for social action to demand socio-economic rights and good governance at all levels of society.
  • Conduct research on key economic governance and environmental issues and to publicize same to inform guided interventions and actions by relevant stakeholders and public agencies.
  • Undertake public interest litigation within and outside Nigeria in its core focal areas.