The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday unveiled two digital systems: the Electronic Display Notice Board and the Information Electronic Directory Table.
The systems are intended to improve access to court services and strengthen transparency.
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The launch took place at a ceremony marking the commencement of the 2025/2026 Legal Year and the 41st Annual Judges Conference. The event took place at the Federal High Court headquarters in Abuja.
The notice board will display court-approved announcements, cause lists, and circulars in real time, while the directory table will help visitors navigate court premises efficiently.
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The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, while declaring the legal year open, said the unveiling of the systems is significant because It marks a “deliberate shift toward transparency, order, and user-centred court administration.”
She explained that the growing complexity of cases, including technology-driven crimes and cross-border commercial disputes, requires “new skills, firmer case management, and rapid judicial adaptation.”
Ms Kekere-Ekun therefore described digitisation as a core priority for the judiciary, adding that virtual hearings, e-filing, electronic case tracking, and secure record management are “indispensable instruments of modern justice delivery.”
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She further explained that the systems will reduce confusion, ensure accurate information for judicial officers, lawyers, and the public, and help visitors locate courtrooms, registries, and departments independently.
Chief Judge highlights previous judicial initiatives
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, while speaking at the event, said the court performed well in the past legal year despite challenges.
He reported that 39 staff members retired, four resigned voluntarily, and five were dismissed.
Mr Tsoho highlighted that the e-affidavit system, launched in Abuja on 1 July 2024, and the e-filing system in Lagos are key steps in modernising court operations. “We look forward to enlarging the horizon to cover all Judicial Divisions in the Federation,” he said.
He also reported infrastructural developments, including the completion of the court’s headquarters extension, described as the “Administrative Wing,” easing office accommodation challenges. Investments are ongoing in court buildings, judges’ quarters, renovations, and technological equipment to improve efficiency.
To strengthen specialisation, he announced the creation of an Insolvency Unit to oversee company restructuring and a Freedom of Information Desk to improve transparency and public access.
He noted that collaboration with national and international stakeholders, including visits from the Chief Justice of Sierra Leone and the US National Centre for State, led to plans to digitise ten courts across divisions.
On professional development, Mr Tsoho also noted that judges attended local and international workshops, including a programme in Cairo, Egypt.
He specifically commended the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who was present at the event, for providing court buildings and judges’ residences, calling it a “laudable attitude” that supports judicial welfare.
Adjudication records
On workload, Mr Tsoho narrated that at the end of the 2023/2024 legal year, 161,999 cases were pending and carried into 2024/2025.
“During the period, 19,925 new cases were filed, bringing the total pending cases to 181,924. Of these,” he said 16,019 were disposed of, leaving 165,905 unresolved.
The disposed cases included 3,113 civil, 5,818 criminal, 3,724 motions, and 3,364 fundamental human rights cases. At the year’s end, 44,650 civil, 44,078 criminal, 46,228 motions, and 30,949 fundamental rights enforcement applications remained pending.
The Chief Judge said the figures showed the court “has done well in the face of our expansive jurisdiction and enormous workload.”
Others speak
The Anthony General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) from the ministry, said the legal system is in “an era defined by speed, innovation, and digital transformation.” And praised the Federal High Court for embracing technology.
He pointed to the rollout of the electronic filing system and the e-Affidavit portal as milestones that “enhanced convenience for legal practitioners and litigants alike” and advanced “accessibility, transparency, and efficiency.”
He stressed that the ministry’s reforms depend on “the digital capacity of the courts” and called for coordinated progress across the justice sector.
Also, the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe, while speaking at the ceremony, lamented that unpredictability of court sittings remains a “deeply distressing frustration” for litigants and lawyers.
He warned that delays undermine public confidence and called for “structured and technologically supported” schedules, disciplined adjournment practices, and fixed sitting hours to improve predictability.
On political disputes, Mr Osigwe said courts must avoid becoming instruments for partisan advantage. He said the judiciary “must remain blind to political colouration and partisan calculations” and called on judges to exercise restraint in handling party-related disputes.
He highlighted systemic issues affecting the Federal High Court, including case backlog, limited judicial capacity, inconsistent practice directions, and technology gaps.
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He proposed reforms such as enhanced case management, judicial specialisation, expanded e-filing, strict enforcement of court orders, promotion of alternative dispute resolution, and continuous ethical training for lawyers.
Mr Osigwe also called for monthly inspections of federal detention facilities by judges, noting that about 73 per cent of inmates are held on remand.
Other special guests at the ceremony included Kanu Agabi, a former Attorney-General.of the Federation who representing the Senior Advocates of Nigeria, retired judges, and judges from other federal high courts.
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