Abstract

Objective: This study examines the barriers to access to justice faced by marginalized populations in Nigeria’s informal urban settlements. It seeks to evaluate the structural, legal, and institutional constraints that hinder residents’ ability to secure remedies for housing, property, and civil rights violations, and to identify mechanisms for enhancing equitable justice delivery.

Method: The study adopts a doctrinal research method, relying on qualitative analysis of statutory frameworks, constitutional provisions, judicial decisions, policy documents, and peer-reviewed literature. Comparative insights from other Global South contexts, including South Africa and India, were also employed to contextualize Nigeria’s experience.

Findings: Residents of informal settlements face multidimensional justice deficits arising from tenure insecurity, procedural rigidity, underfunded legal aid systems, forced evictions, and institutional distrust. Informal dispute resolution mechanisms partially mitigate gaps but lack enforceability and do not always align with human rights standards. Comparative analysis shows that alternative judicial strategies in other jurisdictions can strengthen access to justice for vulnerable populations.

Value: The study provides a justice-centered framework for urban governance reform and informs policymakers, legal practitioners, and civil society on strategies to enhance equitable legal access for marginalized urban populations. It integrates legal pluralism and capability approaches to offer practical recommendations for addressing systemic exclusion