The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, says the judiciary has made “significant strides” in rebuilding public trust through reforms, discipline, and digitisation of court processes.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja during the special session marking the start of the 2025/2026 legal year of the Supreme Court, Justice Kekere-Ekun reaffirmed the judiciary’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
“Since the start of the last legal year, we have been making efforts to restore public confidence in the Nigerian judiciary,” the CJN said.
According to her, major reforms have included the digitisation of court records, restructuring of the Litigation Department of the Supreme Court, and creation of new units to prevent file losses and improve access to case information.
“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 explained.
Justice Kekere-Ekun also revealed that the National Judicial Council, had taken action against frivolous petitioners while sanctioning erring judges and referring defaulting lawyers to the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee. “
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 added.
She highlighted improved case management systems, stricter timelines for filings, and enhanced training for judges and court staff as part of efforts to reduce delays.
The CJN also emphasised staff welfare, noting that salaries and allowances were being paid promptly, with increased welfare packages to boost morale.
On anti-corruption efforts, she credited the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee with speeding up graft-related trials in collaboration with agencies like the EFCC and ICPC. She cited statistics showing that the EFCC secured 1,417 convictions in the first half of 2025, while the ICPC initiated 43 cases and secured nine convictions.
Reviewing the court’s performance in the past legal year, Justice Kekere-Ekun disclosed that the Supreme Court considered 2,280 matters and delivered 369 judgments, an improvement on the 247 rulings issued in the previous legal year.
She also congratulated 57 lawyers elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), praising one of them, Mr. Lawal Hudu Garba, for excelling in law practice despite physical disability.
“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 said.
Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), commended the CJN’s leadership, saying: “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 and reforming case management.”
Also speaking, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe (SAN), called for urgent reforms to address systemic delays, warning that “justice delayed is justice denied.” He urged full digitisation of processes, transparency in judicial appointments, and reforms in bail procedures to prevent abuse.
The Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, represented by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), expressed concern over the volume of political cases at the apex court. “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 noted, urging politicians to respect election outcomes.
