By John Azu
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has urged judges across the country to adopt proactive case management strategies to tackle delays in the administration of justice, reduce case backlogs and strengthen public confidence in the judiciary.
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 effectiveness of the judiciary should be measured not only by the quality of its judgments but also by the speed and efficiency with which cases are determined.
She lamented 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 key indicator of judicial performance globally and urged judges to exercise greater control over proceedings by enforcing timelines and making effective use of pre-trial procedures to minimise delays and reduce case congestion.
She also encouraged judicial officers to embrace technology, including electronic filing, virtual hearings, digital case-tracking systems and automated scheduling tools, describing them as indispensable for improving the efficiency of the courts while safeguarding fairness and due process.
Drawing lessons from jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, Singapore and South Africa, the CJN said active judicial leadership and structured case management have significantly improved court efficiency and reduced delays in those countries.
She observed that increasing commercial activities, constitutional litigation and rising public expectations have placed greater pressure on Nigeria’s judicial system, making continuous reforms and greater procedural discipline imperative.
According to her, the workshop is designed to equip judges with practical tools for effective docket control, electronic case management, efficient scheduling practices, timely delivery of judgments and other measures aimed at enhancing justice delivery.
Justice Kekere-Ekun urged participants to critically examine 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 Administrator of the National Judicial Institute, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, also called on judges of the superior courts to adopt proactive case management practices as a critical strategy for improving judicial efficiency and ensuring timely justice delivery.
According to Justice Adejumo, effective case management is essential to reducing case backlogs, eliminating administrative bottlenecks and preventing unnecessary delays in court proceedings.
He explained that modern case management requires judges to move beyond their traditional adjudicative role by actively supervising cases from filing through to conclusion, thereby ensuring more efficient and expeditious resolution of disputes.