Judicial reforms will only succeed with the backing of the legal profession, Chief Justice of Nigeria Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has said. She made the remarks while meeting with leaders of the Nigerian Bar Association at the Supreme Court in Abuja on Sunday.
The CJN stressed that the Bench and the Bar must work together to drive reforms. According to her, both institutions share responsibility for strengthening justice delivery and upholding the rule of law.
Kekere-Ekun assured the NBA delegation that the Supreme Court will keep upgrading its electronic filing platform based on feedback from court users. She thanked the outgoing NBA leadership, headed by Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, for maintaining cordial ties with the Judiciary during its term.
The CJN also praised the Bar for supporting the newly launched Nigerian Case Management System at the Supreme Court. In response, Osigwe pledged the legal profession's commitment to helping implement the system and new Supreme Court Practice Directions issued in 2026.
Osigwe hailed the electronic filing system as a major step forward in modernizing Nigeria's justice system. He told Kekere-Ekun that lawyers stood ready to collaborate on rolling out the initiative successfully.
However, Osigwe raised worries about some aspects of the new Practice Directions. He asked that the Supreme Court provide detailed user guides and training programs so NBA leaders could properly educate lawyers on using the platform.
Kabir Akanbi, Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, responded by clarifying that the Practice Directions were designed to help, not hurt, legal practice. He explained that the electronic system includes protections for both litigants and lawyers while making court operations faster.
Akanbi disclosed that comprehensive training materials and user manuals had already been prepared for lawyers. He asked the NBA to nominate staff members to work with Supreme Court officials during the rollout to ensure a smooth transition to the new filing system.
