From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has directed heads of courts to put in place mechanisms to ensure judges sit on time, notify litigants and lawyers promptly when sittings are cancelled, and treat court users with dignity.
Declaring open the 2026 Roundtable for Heads of Courts at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Abuja, on Monday, the CJN said these were not minor administrative matters but practical expressions of respect for the people the courts exist to serve.
She said punctuality “must be treated as a professional obligation, not a matter of personal preference.” Heads of courts, she said, must communicate clear sitting times, monitor compliance and deal with persistent or unjustified lateness through established supervisory and disciplinary channels.
Justice Kekere-Ekun described as unacceptable the situation where counsel and parties travel long distances at great expense, only to learn on arrival that the court will not sit.
She asked heads of courts to ensure registries have dependable procedures naming the officers responsible for notifications, the channels to be used and how to confirm that affected parties have been informed.
On courtroom conduct, she said judicial authority is best exercised with “fairness, composure and respect.” Every litigant, regardless of social status, financial means or education, deserves dignity, while lawyers are entitled to courteous treatment. Firmness and courtesy, she added, “are entirely compatible,” and a judge can control proceedings without humiliating counsel or a litigant.
With the country approaching another election season, the CJN urged heads of courts to remain vigilant against forum shopping, concealment of related proceedings and attempts to obtain conflicting orders from courts of coordinate jurisdiction.
She said forum shopping undermines consistency, encourages abuse of process and exposes the Judiciary to avoidable public controversy. Judges, she said, must scrutinise applications carefully, insist on full and frank disclosure, and resist attempts to use urgent applications or ex parte orders to gain an improper advantage.
Political sensitivity, public sentiment or the urgency with which a matter is presented, she stressed, must never displace the careful application of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the applicable rules of court.
Election cases, she said, must be handled “competently, expeditiously and strictly in accordance with the law.”
On delay, the CJN said the timely determination of cases remains one of the Judiciary’s most pressing challenges, imposing financial and emotional burdens on litigants and weakening public confidence.
While some delays stem from inadequate funding, infrastructure and manpower, she said others result from inefficient docket management, repeated adjournments, poor scheduling and failure to monitor inactive cases.
She said every head of court should know the condition of their docket, including the number and age of pending cases and the reasons for delay.
She cautioned, however, that efficiency must not be measured solely by the number of cases disposed of, as the right to fair hearing must be fully protected.
Justice Kekere-Ekun also urged heads of courts to “strongly and courageously” resist external pressure in judicial appointments, insisting that selection must be fair, transparent and merit-based, guided by competence, character and suitability.
The CJN disclosed that the Supreme Court began implementing the Nigerian Case Management System (NCMS) on 1 July 2026. Adoption, she said, has extended to the High Courts of Borno, Bayelsa, Delta, Niger, Taraba and Ebonyi States, as well as the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division.
She encouraged heads of courts yet to onboard to identify obstacles and take practical steps towards adoption.
She cautioned that technology alone will not reform the courts, and called for implementation plans, staff training and oversight, along with protection of judicial records and attention to cybersecurity.
On artificial intelligence, she said judicial officers “must retain independent responsibility for their decisions” and ensure any use of such tools is consistent with the law, professional ethics and procedural fairness.
The CJN called for sustained investment in court staff, including registrars, research staff, administrative officers and IT personnel.
She urged all jurisdictions to adopt structured mentorship under which newly appointed judges are attached to experienced judicial officers for a defined period before sitting independently.
She also directed heads of courts to ensure that courts remain professional workplaces free from bullying and harassment.
She asked participants to leave the Roundtable with clear, implementable priorities on case management, punctuality, communication with court users, respectful courtroom conduct, digital transformation, judicial welfare and professional discipline.
Progress, she said, should be judged “not merely by the directives issued, but by the changes those directives produce in the daily operation of the courts.”
In his welcome address, the Administrator of the NJI, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, said the Judiciary, as custodian of justice and guardian of the Rule of Law, is under constant public scrutiny, placing a heavy responsibility on those steering its affairs to safeguard its image and shape positive public perceptions.
He said the annual Roundtable provides a platform for candid exchange, identifying cross-cutting challenges and collectively developing solutions.
He added that the programme was deliberately designed with minimal external intervention so that the heads of courts would direct discussions and determine outcomes.
Justice Adejumo praised the CJN for reforms that he said had entrenched judicial independence and enhanced integrity across all levels of the Judiciary.
He also thanked the Education Committee of the NJI Board of Governors, chaired by Justice John Inyang Okoro, JSC, and the session managers and facilitators.
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