The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has said that an independent, efficient, and accessible judiciary is critical to the growth of Lagos State and the nation’s economy.
She urged Judiciary officers in Lagos State to embrace technology to improve access to justice, as well as ensure efficiency, strengthen case management, and reduce delays.
Kekere-Ekun spoke yesterday at the 2026/2027 Lagos State Judiciary New Legal Year Summit with the theme: Justice as an Economic Infrastructure: Strengthening the Judiciary for Africa’s Fifth Largest Economy, held at Jewel Aieda, Lekki Phase I, Lagos.
The CJN, whose address was read by Admin Judge, Lagos, Justice Toyin Ipaye, praised the Lagos State Judiciary for sustaining the annual legal year’s tradition.
Justice Kekere-Ekun said justice should be regarded as a form of infrastructure that is as fundamental to economic development as roads, bridges, ports, electricity, and digital networks.
According to her, businesses require confidence that agreements would be respected, disputes fairly resolved, property rights protected, and lawful obligations enforced, while investors need assurance that an independent institution exists to provide remedies when things go wrong.
Justice kekere-Ekun said courts that resolve disputes fairly and within a reasonable time do more than dispose of cases, adding that they create certainty, reduce the cost of unresolved disputes, protect legitimate investments and encourage responsible enterprise.
The CJN stressed that the responsibility was particularly significant in Lagos because of the state’s position as a major centre of commerce, finance, technology, industry, and entrepreneurship.
She said such complexity of economic activities required a Judiciary that must be independent, impartial, responsive, and efficient.
Justice Kekere-Ekun averred that the Nigerian Judiciary was already implementing reforms, including Electronic Filing Practice Directions and the National Case Management System at the Supreme Court to improve case management, transparency and efficiency.
The CJN cautioned that technology must serve people because the Judiciary is a human institution.
She noted that technology, artificial intelligence (AI), digital commerce, alternative dispute resolution and complex commercial transactions were reshaping legal practice across the world.
The CJN urged lawyers to combine knowledge of the law with an understanding of the environment in which it operates.
Justice Kekere-Ekun stressed that technological advancement must not erode professional ethics, including competence, candour, confidentiality, fidelity to clients and respect for the court.
She called for a stronger cooperation between the Bench and the Bar, saying mutual respect and professional courtesy should be maintained even where their respective roles require robust disagreement.
She urged the Lagos Judiciary to pursue excellence, embrace innovation without compromising principle and improve efficiency without sacrificing fairness.
Former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fasholao (SAN) called for a comprehensive review of the experience of litigants and other users of the justice system.
Fashola, who delivered a keynote address titled: Justice As An Economic Infrastructure: Strengthening the Judiciary for Africa’s Fifth Largest Economy, also insisted that the judiciary should be treated as critical economic infrastructure.
The former governor posited that the justice system should be assessed not only through legal principles and advocacy but also by examining the quality of service experienced by those who depend on the courts.
He noted that the summit provided an opportunity for stakeholders to ask fundamental questions about the effectiveness, responsiveness, and accessibility of the justice system.
“This initiative, in my view, invites us to look at justice beyond the precepts of legalism and all of the advocacy that takes place, and to see the essence of justice and the judiciary as a science.”
The former Works, Power and Housing Minister urged the judiciary to determine if its users were receiving the quality of service they expected, stressing the essence of obtaining direct feedback from litigants and other court users.
He suggested that a professional survey should be launched to establish the current experience of people who use the Lagos justice system.
According to him, such a survey should examine how long cases take from commencement to conclusion; how effectively commercial disputes are handled; and if judgments are enforced in a manner that restores litigants to the position they ought to occupy.
Fashola urged stakeholders to determine how long an average case takes in Lagos and if that period corresponds with the expectations of court users.
The ex-minister also drew attention to the importance of land and property disputes to economic development, saying land is a significant basis for capital formation and business activity.
He raised the question on whether the Lagos judiciary was sufficiently responsive to disputes affecting businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
He alluded to the reforms undertaken in the Lagos justice sector decades ago when he was governor, including changes to court rules and procedures, the introduction and expansion of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), front-loading and the recruitment of younger lawyers.
Fashola stressed that the reforms demonstrated the importance of periodically subjecting the justice system to institutional self-examination.
The former governor called for a greater attention to informal dispute-resolution mechanisms, arguing that some disputes could be resolved outside conventional court processes.
According to him, the continued evolution of ADR could help reduce pressure on the formal court system, particularly where disputes involve customary or community-related issues.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), said a strong economy required more than roads, bridges, electricity and digital connectivity.
The governor said an effective justice system was equally necessary because it protects property rights, enforces contracts, resolves disputes, safeguards rights and provides confidence to citizens, businesses and investors.
He said where justice is predictable, accessible and timely, economic activity is encouraged, while prolonged disputes could delay investment and diminish economic confidence.
Sanwo-Olu described justice as both a constitutional necessity and an essential foundation for economic growth.
The governor called for continued investment in judicial infrastructure, human capital and technology.
He identified e-filing, digital case management, virtual proceedings and other technology-driven reforms as measures capable of improving access to justice, reducing delays and making the justice system more responsive.
Sanwo-Olu also advocates technology-driven legal profession, stressing the importance of the welfare and capacity of judges, judicial officers, lawyers and other professionals involved in the administration of justice.
The governor said judicial independence should be accompanied by institutional accountability, efficiency and adequate resources.
He also called for greater use of mediation and arbitration, particularly in commercial disputes, describing alternative dispute resolution as potentially faster and more cost-effective.
According to him, lawyers practising in the 21st century must develop expertise beyond traditional legal skills, including knowledge of technology, business, data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, intellectual property and digital transactions.
Fashola noted that the modern lawyer should increasingly function as a problem solver capable of anticipating legal risks, providing strategic advice and helping clients avoid disputes where possible.
The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, said the economy remained the backbone of every community.
He stressed the need for the judiciary to recognise the wider economic implications of cases before the courts.
The CJ described Lagos as the commercial basket of Nigeria, saying the state has an important role to play in strengthening its economy and contributing significantly to the growth of the Nigerian economy.
Justice Alogba said the discourse was timely, coming at the beginning of the new legal year.
The CJ averred that the issues discussed at the summit would be relevant to the judiciary, particularly in the handling of commercial cases. He, however, noted that the implications of economic issues went beyond commercial matters because the courts operated within and served the wider society.
He said the seminar would henceforth be conducted through both physical and virtual platforms to enable wider participation.