Prince Chima Williams

Prince Chima Williams is the 2022 Goldman Environmental Prize (Green Nobel Prize) Winner for Africa. He is a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria with over 20 years of litigation experience in the areas of human/environmental rights, livelihoods protection/defence, land rights, property rights, criminal and civil litigations. He is an international legal consultant with host and home country litigation expertise and the Principal of CHIMA WILLIAMS & ASSOCIATES – a Nigerian Law Firm dedicated to pro-bono litigation services to indigent Nigerians. Chima is the Executive Director of Environmental Defenders Network, a pan-global environmental/human rights civil society platform dedicated to the defence of citizens rights.

As an environmental/human rights lawyer/activist, he has dedicated more than 20 years of his active life to the protection of citizens rights to a healthy and conducive environment believing that environmental right is the superstructure upon which all other rights are built. A consummate national and international legislative and policy change advocate using various platforms including legislative and policy spaces, the law and law courts including institutions both at global, regional and national levels. He actively campaigns for a globally enforceable environmental and human rights standards by all business operators to ensure respect for the environmental and human rights of local community people.

Chima is a member of the Climate Litigation Community of Practice hosted by New York University Law Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. He is Secretary/Legal Adviser, Coalition Against Gas Flaring (CAGAF); a Board Member of the Environmental Management & Disaster Risk Reduction Institute of Nigeria; an Editorial Board Member (DiF) of Business and Human Rights Journal, published by Cambridge University Press, London since 2017; Country Focal Person and Regional Chair Publicity Committee of Public Interest Lawyering Initiative for West Africa; Steering Committee Member, Mano River Union Civil Society Natural Resources and Governance Platform; President Green Alliance Nigeria; Founder, Students Environmental Assembly Nigeria – the first ever Students focused Environmental Justice Movement in West Africa; He was a member of the Climate Change Legal Working Group – a group set up as an advisory group to the Climate Change Department of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Environment who participated in the review of the Nigerian Climate Change Bill 2021 which was passed as the Nigerian Climate Change Act 2021. He is the former Executive Director, Environmental Rigts Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria; former member of the International Executive Committee (Excom) Friends of the Earth International. Ex-Coordinator Amnesty International, Civil Liberties Organization, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Public Relations Officer, Youths Solidarity for South Africa and Nigeria, University of Benin, Former Senate Clerk, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS); Former Civil Society Steering Committee Member, NEITI among others

As a legislative and policy change advocate he has made contributions towards policy and legal changes in the Nigerian, West African and global environmental management regimes and protection of citizens rights through submissions to the Nigerian Parliament, the European Parliament, the United Nations in Geneva, and as a lead presenter at the International Bar Association, Annual Conference held in Vancouver, Canada in 2010.

He creates awareness, enlightens, mobilizes and trains both community people, civil society actors, media practitioners and lawyers on issues of environmental/human rights and access to justice in Nigeria especially when it comes to getting justice against multi-national corporations, and practicalizes his theories through the use of the courts both at host and home country levels, regional and international instruments and mechanisms in securing the rights of citizens and protection of their environment. These he has used in collaboration with like minds to amicably resolve long standing complaints and issues between community victims and multi-national corporations as well as helped in efforts at policy and legislative changes in the environment, transparency and accountability sectors.

He has been involved and participated in many research works including: Review and Suggestions for updating the Guidelines for the Award and Operations of Marginal Fields in Nigeria issued by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) 2020; Member of the three man team of CSR-in-Action Consultants that developed the Community Engagement Standards (CES) 2019; From a "Culture of Unwellness" to Sustainable Advocacy: Organizational Responses to Mental Health Risks in the Human Rights Field by NYU School of Law, Columbia Law School, and the New School for Social Research, May 2019; “Improving Environmental Impact Assessment and Audit Processes in Nigeria – A Legislative and Policy Review Perspective” for Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Nigeria 2017; Critical elements of an effective Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB (Joint Position Paper), 2014; Digging Deep Corporate Liability Environmental Justice Strategies in the World of Oil (ejolt Report No. 9, October 2013); Submitted a Memorandum to the Senate Committee on Environment Public Hearing on a Bill for an Act to Amend the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Establishment, etc) Act 2006 And For Other Matters Connected Therewith, 2012; GAS FLARING IN NIGERIA: A human rights, environmental and economic monstrosity (The Climate Justice Programme, UK & Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria) 2005 among others and has to his credit some publications among which are: Application of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 in the Nigerian Petroleum Sector by Barr. Chima Williams. April 2014. He has made presentations, contributions to may book titles, written and published globally and written many articles, contributed chapters to many publications on different subject matters especially on Environment, Climate Change, Transparency and Accountability as well as a regular Television discussant on current topical issues in Nigeria, Africa and Global events both environmental, political, economic, social, human rights etc. He has delivered lectures and led inspirational discussions at different Universities, Professional and Civil Society gatherings across the world.

In recognition of Chima’s efforts and contributions, he has received awards and recognitions including: Appreciation for contributions to sustainable development in Nigeria by CSR.in.Action; Award of Excellence in recognition of outstanding contribution to the growth and development of NAESS, UNIBEN/UBTH; Award of Excellence in recognition of unequalled contribution to human development & youth empowerment by NAESS, UNIBEN/UBTH; Energy Security Ambassador Award of Excellence in Recognition of Exemplary Commitment Towards an Energy Secure Nigeria by IEHSE; Chima was listed among Nigeria’s top 100 Environmental Professionals on Impact, Practice, Advocacy by Environment Africa Magazine in 2022 and was conferred with the Eco-Ambassador Award in recognition and deep appreciation of his commitment and services to humanity through the promotion of a safer and eco-friendly society by Rotary Club of Yenagoa in December 2022. In February, 2023 he was awarded Doctor of Laws (LLD) Specializing in Human Rights (Honoris Causa) by London Graduate School in collaboration with Commonwealth University College, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

In June, 2023, Chima was unveiled as one of the 100 Nigerians Leading Change in a biographical compendium unveiled on June 12, 2023 by Nigeria’s leading biographical publishing firm, Profiles & Biographies sharing stories of outstanding Nigerians making extraordinary impact and providing leadership in their spheres of influence.

In November 2023, Chima was recognized and invited as one of 9 global inspirational Lawyers by the Green Rights & Warrior Lawyers (GRAWL) Virtual Academy and Inspirathon organized and hosted by the Centre for Law & the Environment at the Allard School of Law and in February, 2024 he was invited and listed among the Environmental Heroes visiting Eugene, Oregon, Unted States by the Eugene Herald in February, 2024, in October, 2024, he was awarded Member, Advisory Committee on Judicial Cooperation and Human Rights in Canada by the Supreme Council of UNIPGC Africa. Chima was also awarded Ambassador of Environment by the Catholic Women Association, Amangwu Edda. In January, 2025, he was conferred Distinguished Fellow (FCIPG) of Chartered Institute of Peace and Governance (CIPG), Texas, USA. Chima successfully attended a training on Rhe Future of Leadership: Harnessing AI To Drive Business Success in Nairobi, Kenya.

Chima is blessedly married to Mrs. Nkechinyere Williams a union that has produced 4 pace setting children: Princess Emmanuella, Prince Chima Jnr., Princess Kamsiyochukwu and Prince Munachimso.