President Bola Tinubu has requested the Senate to pass a measure that would alter the Court of Appeal Act to raise the number of justices from 70 to 110 as part of changes aimed at bolstering Nigeria’s appellate court system.
The request was made in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, which was read in plenary on Tuesday.
According to the President, the proposed reforms aim to improve the Court of Appeal’s institutional capacity, efficiency, and effectiveness in accordance with constitutional provisions and evolving realities in the justice system.
He stated that the bill’s main characteristic is the extension of the court’s bench to deal with increasing caseloads and operational challenges.
“The bill seeks to increase the number of justices of the Court of Appeal from 70 to 110 and provide clarification of judicial structure and seniority,” Tinubu stated.
The President added that the legislation also attempts to restructure provisions governing the ranking of justices on the Court of Appeal, including the role of the Court’s President and the determination of seniority among serving justices.
In addition, Tinubu stated that the bill includes provisions to modernize appellate hearings through the use of technology.
“The bill provides for the conduct of proceedings of the Court of Appeal through electronic and audio means and the establishment of an Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre,” he said.
According to him, the planned ADR Center would function within the Court of Appeal, allowing some appellate disputes to be referred for resolution.
“The bill seeks to establish an Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre within the Court of Appeal, where appellate matters may be referred for settlement,” the president added.
He further mentioned that the amendment would improve professional efficiency and legal certainty in appellate practice.
“The bill also seeks to update terminology and definitions within the principal act, including the recognition of virtual hearings and modern correctional nomenclature.
“It seeks to consolidate interpretative provisions to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with the current legal and institutional framework,” Tinubu said.
The President stated that the reforms were opportune, given the growing demand on the appellate judicial system across the country, and that the proposed changes would help minimize delays, improve access to justice, and boost public trust in the judiciary.
After reading the letter, Senate President Akpabio submitted the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.
The action comes against the backdrop of ongoing worries about workload demands in Nigeria’s higher courts. Barely a year ago, the Senate examined a different legislative proposal to increase the number of Supreme Court judges to 30 in order to alleviate the court’s rising backlog of cases.
That bill, proposed by Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West), was based on concerns that the current number of judges was insufficient, despite the appointment of 11 justices in 2023, which filled the constitutional limit for the first time.
“Even with the full complement of 21 justices, the Supreme Court is overwhelmed. The volume of cases reaching the court daily is alarming. Some litigants are being given hearing dates as far ahead as 2027 and 2028,” Izunaso had said.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has written to the Senate requesting confirmation of Justice Oyewole Kayode’s appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The request, read in plenary by Akpabio, was forwarded to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters for review and report.
The confirmation request highlights the Federal Government’s continuous efforts to reduce capacity constraints and improve judicial delivery across Nigeria’s courts.
