ABUJA – The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, has declared a fresh offensive against delays in the nation’s justice system, directing judges across the country to embrace proactive case management and fast-track the determination of cases.
Speaking on Monday 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) in Abuja, the CJN said the credibility of the judiciary depends not only on the quality of its judgments but also on how quickly justice is delivered.
She lamented that prolonged litigation, frequent adjournments, abuse of court processes and poor scheduling practices continue to frustrate litigants, increase the cost of justice and erode public confidence in the courts.
“To the ordinary litigant, justice delayed often translates into justice denied,” Justice Kekere-Ekun declared, warning that delayed justice also creates uncertainty for businesses, discourages investment and weakens the rule of law.
The CJN urged judges to take firm control of proceedings by enforcing timelines, making effective use of pre-trial procedures and adopting active case management to reduce the growing backlog of cases.
She also called on judicial officers to fully embrace technology, including electronic filing, virtual hearings, digital case-tracking systems and automated scheduling, describing them as indispensable tools for modern justice delivery.
Justice Kekere-Ekun cited countries such as the United Kingdom, Singapore and South Africa as examples where structured case management and active judicial leadership have significantly reduced delays and improved court efficiency.
She observed that increasing commercial disputes, constitutional litigation and rising public expectations have placed greater pressure on Nigeria’s judicial system, making continuous reforms and procedural discipline inevitable.
According to her, the workshop is designed to equip judges with practical skills in docket control, electronic case management, effective scheduling and timely delivery of judgments.
She urged participants to identify procedural bottlenecks, rethink existing practices and embrace reforms that would improve efficiency without compromising fairness and due process.
The Chief Justice expressed confidence that the training would produce practical solutions for faster justice delivery, improved judicial productivity and a more responsive judiciary before formally declaring the workshop open.
Earlier, the Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Justice Babatunde Adejumo, also challenged judges of the Superior Courts of Record to adopt proactive case management as a critical tool for improving judicial efficiency.
Justice Adejumo said effective case management remains essential to reducing case backlogs, eliminating administrative bottlenecks and preventing unnecessary delays in court proceedings.
He stressed that modern judicial practice requires judges to go beyond their traditional adjudicatory role by actively supervising cases from filing to final judgment.
According to him, such an approach would enhance access to justice, promote fairness and restore public confidence in the nation’s judicial system.
He further described judicial education and leadership training as vital in equipping judges with modern case management skills, adding that the workshop offers participants an opportunity to exchange ideas, share best practices and develop practical solutions to challenges confronting court administration.
Justice Adejumo commended the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the NJI Board of Governors, Justice Kudirat M. O. Kekere-Ekun, for her unwavering commitment to judicial capacity building.
He also acknowledged the contributions of the Chairman of the NJI Education Committee, Justice John Inyang Okoro, Heads of Courts, facilitators and session managers for their continued support in strengthening judicial excellence.
The workshop is expected to enhance the capacity of judges to manage cases more efficiently and accelerate justice delivery across Nigeria.
