Nigeria’s rapidly growing economy needs functional judiciary-Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yester said, Nigeria needs a functional justice system that will support its rapidly growing economy.

In his opening speech at Abuja for a two-day National Summit on Justice 2024, He said, that reforms were urgently needed to restore confidence in the system.

The Summit was organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice with support from the National Judicial Council (NJC), the European Union (EU), the International IDEA, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC).

Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the legislature was aware of the challenges of delays and backlogs plaguing the courts and would address them.

Akpabio called for reforms to eliminate interlocutory appeals and measures to prevent the increasing abuse of ex-parte orders.

Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, called for a holistic reform of the justice system, including tackling corruption.

Attorney-General of the Federation Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) said the Federal Government was developing draft constitution amendment bills to enhance access to justice and its administration.

President Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said security and other challenges present the justice sector institutions with an opportunity to push for reforms.

Attorney-General of the Federation Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) said the Federal Government was developing draft constitution amendment bills to enhance access to justice and its administration.

President Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said security and other challenges present the justice sector institutions with an opportunity to push for reforms.

The President called on justice sector institutions and professionals to align their activities with the tenets of our Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly as it relates to the priorities on inclusivity, fairness, rule of law and anti-corruption stance.

He noted that his administration has made the funding of the Judiciary and other justice sector institutions a top priority.

Actions taken to boost justice administration, he said, include the signing of the bill on uniformity in the retirement age of judges of the superior courts, the recruitment of more Justices to ensure the Supreme Court attained its full complement of 21 Justices and the increase in budgetary allocation to the judiciary.