CJ Tsoho, NBA President Call for Urgent Judicial Reforms, Digitalisation and Supreme Court Docket Limits to Speed Up Justice
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John Tsoho, and the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, have jointly called for urgent and far‑reaching reforms in Nigeria’s judiciary to ensure the delivery of faster, fairer, and more efficient justice. Their remarks came during the recent Nigerian Bar Association Conference in Enugu focused on judicial efficiency and access to justice.
Justice Tsoho lamented the heavy caseloads borne by most judges and criticised the frequent adjournment of matters over minor procedural lapses by counsel. To address these challenges, he proposed the establishment of specialised or quasi‑judicial tribunals to handle specific categories of disputes, drawing on successful models from other jurisdictions to ease the burden on conventional courts.
He further underscored the urgent need for judicial digitalisation, warning that inefficiency remains a “great sponsor of corruption.” Citing reforms in Abuja where the digitisation of the affidavit system curtailed entrenched abuses, Justice Tsoho stressed that reform is not optional, insisting that justice must be swift, fair, and service‑oriented.
Echoing these concerns, NBA President Afam Osigwe, SAN, emphasised the need to reduce the number of cases reaching the Supreme Court. He advocated limiting the apex court’s docket to matters of significant policy importance, rather than minor disputes, in order to preserve judicial efficiency and maintain consistency in the development of Nigerian jurisprudence.
On the issue of access to justice, Osigwe identified weaknesses in the country’s pro bono framework. He proposed the creation of a national support fund and directed NBA branches to establish pro bono desks to be managed by young lawyers under the supervision of volunteer Senior Advocates. He also condemned excessive bail conditions that contribute to prison congestion and decried corrupt practices within court registries, where bribes are sometimes solicited for bail processing. Judicial officers, he urged, must act with impartiality and safeguard the rights of society’s most vulnerable.
Both Justice Tsoho and the NBA President agreed that a combination of specialised tribunals, streamlined appellate processes, robust digitalisation, and a strengthened pro bono system would be pivotal in building a justice system that is more efficient, transparent, and accessible. Their joint call adds renewed urgency to the national discourse on judicial reform, amid mounting public demand for timely justice and restored confidence in the rule of law.
