The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has said that over the last legal year, significant strides have been made in restoring public confidence in the judiciary.
Reaffirming that the judiciary is committed to transparency, accountability and reform, Justice Kekere-Ekun gave the assurance on Monday in Abuja, at the special session of the Supreme Court of Nigeria held to mark the commencement of the 2025/2026 legal year.
The CJN also disclosed that measures to strengthen case management, discipline erring judicial officers, and modernise court processes have been employed.
“Since the start of the last legal year, we have been making efforts to restore public confidence in the Nigerian judiciary,” she said.
Highlighting the major strides taken so far, the CJN mentioned infrastructural upgrades, including the renovation of courts, provision of modern equipment, and a major drive to digitise judicial processes.
“We have embarked on a comprehensive programme to digitise court records, making them easily accessible and searchable,” she said.
The CJN also disclosed that the NJC had barred a “notorious serial petitioner” from submitting further frivolous petitions to the Council.
Similarly, she said erring members of the Bar had been referred to the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee for sanction.
“At the National Judicial Council, every pending petition against judicial officers was carefully reviewed, with appropriate sanctions imposed on those found wanting.
“Cleansing the Augean stables is a collective duty, and we remain committed to it. At the same time, where allegations were unsubstantiated, judicial officers were publicly exonerated,” she said.
On court reforms, she announced the streamlining of case management systems with stricter timelines, active monitoring of proceedings, and heavy investment in training programmes, workshops and seminars for judges and court staff aimed at enhancing their knowledge, skills, and understanding of contemporary legal issues.
“We have continued to refine our case management systems to reduce delays and ensure the timely resolution of cases. This includes the implementation of stricter timelines for case filings and hearings, as well as the active monitoring of case progress by judicial officers,” she added.
The CJN also said that upon her assumption of office as the Acting Chief Justice in August 2024, a Special Committee was constituted to recommend wide-ranging innovations to restructure and sanitise the Litigation Department of the Supreme Court and make court processes more accessible and less cumbersome.
She stated that upon the recommendations received, a Court Records Processing Unit was created by merging the Process, Records and File Units.
“This has drastically reduced incidents of missing files. A Central Information Unit was subsequently established to provide lawyers and litigants with quick, convenient access to case details,” she said.
Justice Kekere-Ekun also disclosed that the current practice in the Supreme Court regarding dates for hearing of appeals was that they were given during court proceedings, either in open court upon adjournments, or based on a motion filed by parties, which may, where necessary, be considered in chambers.
“This procedure eliminates third-party interference that previously facilitated sharp practices,” she said.
“Additional reforms include: digitisation of the Receiving and Data Entry Units, and a reorganisation of the Registry to promote transparency; digitisation of the Exhibits and Judgments Pasting Unit for the preservation of judicial records and enabling easy retrieval of past judgments;
“and creation of a Disposal Unit to archive concluded cases and transfer them to the National Archives.”
The CJN said full integration of the Court’s Enrolment Unit with the Nigerian Law School through an online platform for new lawyers had been achieved, and these measures taken had yielded positive results.
Beyond technology and process reforms, the CJN said staff welfare had been prioritised.
“Over the past year, incentives were introduced to boost morale and reinforce commitment to institutional goals. Salaries and allowances are paid promptly, and all existing welfare packages have been increased. Continuous staff development remains central to our mission.
“We have also nurtured a constructive relationship with the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, addressing grievances proactively to maintain industrial harmony and prevent the disruptions created by past strikes,” she said.
She stated that the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee under the leadership of Justice Suleiman Galadima (Rtd) had demonstrated exemplary dedication in its mission to ensure the expeditious adjudication of corruption and financial crimes across the nation, collaborating seamlessly with the country’s various anti-graft agencies.
“COTRIMCO has been instrumental in accelerating the judicial process for all cases pertaining to corruption.
“For the first and second quarters of 2025, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission successfully secured an impressive 1,417 convictions, underscoring their relentless pursuit of justice.
“Concurrently, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission initiated 43 new cases and achieved nine convictions, reflecting their continued efforts in combating illicit financial activities.”
She said the ICPC had experienced a substantial decline in the volume of corruption and financial crime cases being prosecuted, “a trend that has consequently led to fewer returns on cases”.
She added that, “This positive development is primarily attributed to the proactive and preventive measures recently implemented by the Commission, signalling a strategic shift towards deterring such crimes before they escalate.”
Speaking further, she said the Supreme Court had continued to work assiduously to address the backlog of cases in the 2024/2025 Legal Year, which ended on Friday, July 18.
The CJN revealed that the first and second quarters of 2025 had recorded remarkable progress.
The Court considered a total of 2,280 matters, comprising both motions and appeals. Of these, 1,720 were motions broken down into 1,025 Civil, 488 Criminal, and 27 Sharia-related matters.
“The Court also entertained 560 appeals, broken down into 352 Civil, 180 Criminal, 6 Political, 15 Sharia, and 7 Originating Summons. From these matters, a total of 369 judgments were delivered.
“The past legal year has been a testament to our unwavering commitment to the speedy dispensation of justice. The number of appeals disposed of reflects significant progress when compared with the preceding 2023/2024 Legal Year, during which the Court handled 1,124 cases, comprising 435 Civil Appeals including 89 Political Appeals, 269 Civil Motions, 219 Criminal Appeals, 102 Criminal Motions, and 10 Originating Summons. These culminated in 247 judgments and rulings.”
Justice Kekere-Ekun added that the Supreme Court was transitioning from traditional manual filing processes to a comprehensive e-filing system fully integrated with the NCMS.
Afterwards, the CJN congratulated all 57 legal practitioners who were conferred with the esteemed rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, stating that the recognition was a culmination of years of dedicated service, resolute commitment to the rule of law, and exceptional contributions to the legal profession.
She specially recognised Mr Lawal Hudu Garba, whom she said “despite being physically challenged, has demonstrated extraordinary perseverance, dedication and excellence in the practice of law.
“Your achievement is a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit, the triumph of talent over adversity, and the fact that determination and professionalism know no bounds,” she added.
She urged the lawyers to continue to uphold the highest standards of legal practice and contribute to the advancement of justice in the nation.
Earlier, all fifty-seven lawyers took their oaths.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on his part, praised the eminent Justices of the Supreme Court for their tireless efforts in the course of nation-building over the years, and particularly in the past legal year.
The Supreme Court, according to him, had continued to assert itself, through its fair judicial interventions, in strengthening constitutionalism, deepening democratic governance, and the rule of law.
The AGF particularly commended the CJN for her competence in steering the ship of the Nigerian judiciary in the past year since her confirmation by the Nigerian Senate and swearing-in as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“I am delighted to note that, within a short span in the saddle, Your Lordship has demonstrated capacity, courage, and commitment to enabling the much-needed judicial reforms which include strengthening judicial integrity, reforming case management in the Supreme Court, responding to concerns about conflicting decisions, taking a firm stance on the menace of legal practitioners who pay scant regard to the principle of sub judice by engaging in media trial, deepening digitalisation of judicial processes, tightening discipline of both the Bar and the Bench, and enforcing the new Supreme Court Rules.
“I commend Your Lordships for the landmark decisions rendered in the outgone legal year. These decisions resonated across the Federation while strengthening our constitutional democracy.
“The AGF proceeded to affirm his readiness and commitment to work with the judiciary and other stakeholders in the justice sector to advance reforms that will elevate the standard of justice delivery in Nigeria.”
While welcoming the new SANs Fagbemi noted that they had earned the honour through years of excellence and integrity, reminding them, however, that the rank came with a solemn duty—to be architects of reform, defenders of judicial clarity, and mentors in the art of legal reasoning.
In his own remarks, the Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chief A. B. Kasumu, Represented by Chief Wole Olanipekun, (SAN), expressed worries over the avalanche of cases at the apex court, saying political cases in particular were disheartening.
“No Supreme Court in the world is called upon from time to time to take up political matters. Not even in the USA or Britain,” he stated.
He appealed to politicians and members of the National Assembly to respect poll results and excuse the court from numerous election cases.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe (SAN), while speaking, stressed the need for urgent reforms within Nigeria’s judiciary, emphasising that Justice delayed is Justice denied.
He expressed concern over systemic delays in the resolution of constitutional matters, including cases bordering on the declaration of states of emergency, which often lose their relevance by the time judgments are delivered.
He also highlighted the pressing need for the full digitisation of court processes, calling for electronic filing, digital recording of proceedings, and improved case management systems to enhance efficiency, transparency, and public confidence in the justice system.
Addressing the issue of judicial appointments, the NBA President bemoamed the growing exclusion of private legal practitioners from consideration for the bench, noting that transparency and merit must guide the selection process. He proposed written tests and stricter evaluation methods to ensure that only individuals of proven integrity and competence ascend to the bench.
On the abuse of bail processes, he cautioned against the increasing use of remand orders as tools of oppression, particularly in politically sensitive cases. He called on Chief Judges to activate provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act by licensing professional bondspersons, thereby preventing unnecessary detention of citizens.
He reminded the new silks that the rank was “not an ornament, but a call to higher duty, integrity, and leadership”, urging them to serve as mentors and role models, upholding the highest ethical standards of the profession.
The representative of the legal practitioners who were conferred at the occasion, Kolawole Esan (SAN), expressed gratitude to the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee for finding them worthy of the recognition, saying it would inspire them to leave behind a legacy of service.
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