The call by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, on judges across the country to adopt proactive case management strategies to tackle delays in the administration of justice is a welcome development. The directive by the CJN is as inevitable as it is overdue.
Against the backdrop of the over 243,000 pending cases across superior courts, with civil disputes sometimes dragging on for two decades, the CJN’s initiative is the right foot forward in curing one of the teething problems undermining the credibility and sanctity of the nation’s judiciary.
This undesirable situation has led to the clamour for the establishment of special courts on electoral matters, insecurity, commerce, among other pivotal sectors of the economy which are adversely impacted by the delay in justice delivery in the country. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is also being encouraged as a mechanism for resolving disputes devoid of the arduous and expensive court processes.
The CJN harped on strengthening public confidence in the judiciary, noting that the effectiveness of the judiciary is measured not only by the quality of its judgements but also by the speed and efficiency with which cases are concluded.
She stated this at the opening of the National Workshop on Case Management for Judges of the Superior Courts of Record, organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI) penultimate Monday in Abuja. At the workshop, she expressed dismay 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 CJN 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.
Making references to 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 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.
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.
Earlier, the NJI administrator 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.
Although this newspaper acknowledges the constraints faced by judges in the quick dispensation of justice, we are, nevertheless, in sync with the CNJ’s call for a reform, particularly in this era of information, communication, and technology (ICT) or digital renaissance.
It is evident that the hands of judges are usually tied in the smooth, efficient, and quick disposal of cases by some specific and systemic factors. These factors include delay tactics by counsel through the instrumentality of preliminary objections challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court or on mere irregularity or on the validity of a charge itself in case of criminal trials and frivolous adjournments.
Notwithstanding these challenges, judges should embrace the digital system for greater efficiency and productivity. That there are 243,000 backlog of cases at the nation’s superior courts is not only scandalous but also deserves urgent remedy.
The negative impact on the penal system, which leaves approximately 70 per cent of inmates in correctional centres awaiting trial, is reprehensible. It is injustice carried too far as justice delayed is, indeed, justice denied.
