Nigeria’s Judiciary must embrace urgent reforms to deliver faster and fairer justice, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John Tsoho, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, have said.

Speaking at a recent legal forum, Justice Tsoho observed that most Judges are overburdened with caseloads and too quick to adjourn matters over minor procedural errors by Counsel. He proposed the creation of specialised or quasi-judicial Tribunals to ease the pressure on courts, citing successful models from other jurisdictions.

Tsoho also stressed the need for judicial digitalisation, warning that inefficiency remains a “great sponsor of corruption”. Recalling reforms in Abuja where digitising the affidavit system curbed longstanding abuses, he said: “Reform is not an option. Justice must be swift, just, and serve”.

NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, echoed these concerns, particularly the need to reduce the volume of cases reaching the Supreme Court. He suggested restricting the Apex Court’s docket to major policy issues, rather than minor disputes, in order to safeguard efficiency and consistency in jurisprudence.

On access to justice, Osigwe flagged weaknesses in Nigeria’s pro-bono system. He proposed the establishment of a national support fund, and directed that NBA Branches create pro-bono desks to be run by young Lawyers under the supervision of volunteer Senior Advocates. He also condemned excessive bail conditions, which contribute to congestion in correctional centres, and decried corruption within court registries where bribes are often solicited for bail processing. Judicial officers, he urged, must act impartially and ensure justice for society’s most vulnerable.

Both Justice Tsoho and the NBA President agreed that a combination of specialised tribunals, reduced appellate bottlenecks, digitalisation, and strengthened pro-bono framework, would mark crucial steps towards a justice system that is more efficient, accountable, and accessible to all Nigerians.

Their calls add fresh urgency to the national conversation on judicial reform, amid growing demands from the public for a system that delivers timely outcomes and restores confidence in the rule of law.

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