Refugee Protection and Nigeria’s International Obligations: The Case of Cameroonian Refugees in the South South Zone

This study investigates Nigeria's compliance with its international obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, focusing on the management of Cameroonian refugees displaced by the Anglophone crisis and hosted in the South South geopolitical zone, particularly in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. The Anglophone crisis in Cameroon, which intensified from 2017, has produced a protracted displacement situation with significant humanitarian implications for Nigeria as a frontline host state. Drawing on international refugee law and burden-sharing theory, this research assesses the legal framework governing refugee protection in Nigeria, the institutional capacity of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, and the lived experiences of displaced Cameroonians. The study covers the period from 2020 to 2024 and employs a qualitative methodology combining legal document analysis with semi-structured interviews conducted with refugee community representatives and UNHCR field staff. It is expected that findings will reveal significant gaps between formal legal commitments and practical protection outcomes, exacerbated by inadequate funding, bureaucratic delays, and limited local government engagement. The research contributes to the literature on African refugee governance and provides recommendations for strengthening Nigeria's protection regime. Keywords: refugees, Cameroon, Nigeria, refugee protection, South South.