CJN Demands Swift Action From Judges To End Court Backlogs

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ABUJA – The Chief Justice of Nige­ria, Justice Kudirat Kekere- Ekun, has called on judges across the country to adopt proactive case management strategies to tackle delays in the administration of jus­tice and strengthen public confidence in the judiciary.

Speaking at the opening of the National Workshop on Case Management for Judges of the Superior Courts of Record, organ­ised by the National Judi­cial Institute in Abuja on Monday, the CJN said the effectiveness of the judicia­ry is measured not only by the quality of its judgments but also by the speed and ef­ficiency with which cases are concluded.

She stressed that pro­longed litigation, repeated adjournments, procedural abuse and poor scheduling practices continue to under­mine access to justice, in­crease the cost of litigation and weaken public trust in the courts.

“To the ordinary litigant, justice delayed often trans­lates into justice denied,” she said, adding that delays also create uncertainty for businesses and investors while eroding confidence in the rule of law.

Justice Kekere-Ekun not­ed that effective case man­agement has become a de­fining indicator of judicial performance worldwide, urging judges to exercise greater control over pro­ceedings, enforce timelines and make effective use of pre-trial procedures to re­duce case backlogs.

The Chief Justice also encouraged judicial offi­cers to embrace technology, including electronic filing, virtual hearings, digital case-tracking systems and automated scheduling tools, describing them as essential instruments for improving efficiency while maintain­ing fairness and due process.

Drawing lessons from jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, Singapore and South Africa, she said active judicial leadership and structured case man­agement have significantly improved court efficiency and reduced delays.

She acknowledged that increasing commercial activities, constitutional litigation and rising public expectations have placed greater demands on Nige­ria’s judicial system, mak­ing continuous reforms and procedural discipline imperative.

The workshop, she ex­plained, is designed to equip judges with practical strate­gies on docket control, elec­tronic case management, scheduling practices, judg­ment delivery timelines and other measures aimed at en­hancing justice delivery.

Justice Kekere-Ekun urged participants to reflect on existing practices, iden­tify procedural bottlenecks and embrace reforms that promote efficiency without compromising fairness.

She expressed confidence that the workshop would provide practical solutions for reducing delays, im­proving judicial productiv­ity and building a judiciary that is efficient, technologi­cally responsive and worthy of public trust.

The Chief Justice there­after declared the workshop open and wished partici­pants fruitful deliberations.

Earlier, Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Justice Babatunde Adejumu, in his welcome address called on judges of the Superior Courts of Record to adopt proactive case management practices as a key strategy for improving judicial effi­ciency and ensuring timely justice delivery across Ni­geria.

According to Justice Adejumo, effective case management is essential to reducing case backlogs, eliminating administrative bottlenecks, and preventing unnecessary delays in court proceedings.

The NJI administrator explained that modern case management requires judges to move beyond their traditional adjudicative role by actively supervising cas­es from filing to conclusion.

He explained that this ap­proach enhances access to justice, promotes fairness, and strengthens public confidence in the judicial system.

While emphasising that judicial education and lead­ership training remains a critical tools for equipping judges with contemporary case management skills, he added that the workshop provides an important plat­form for participants to exchange ideas, share best practices, and develop prac­tical solutions to challenges affecting court administra­tion.

The NJI Administrator encouraged participants to engage actively in the ses­sions and contribute mean­ingfully to discussions that would improve the admin­istration of justice in their respective courts.

Justice Adejumo also commended the Chief Jus­tice of Nigeria and Chair­man of the NJI Board of Governors, Hon. Justice Kudirat M. O. Kekere-Ekun, for her steadfast commit­ment to judicial capacity building.

He further acknowledged the contributions of the Chairman of the NJI Educa­tion Committee, Hon. Justice John Inyang Okoro, Heads of Courts, facilitators, and ses­sion managers for their con­tinued support in advancing judicial excellence.

The workshop is expect­ed to strengthen the capaci­ty of judges to manage cases more efficiently, ultimately contributing to a faster, more responsive, and more effective justice system in Nigeria.