President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Has Formally Written To The Senate,

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally written to the Senate, proposing sweeping judicial reforms that include adding 200 new judicial officers across Nigeria’s federal appellate and trial courts. The proposals were transmitted in two separate bills and read at plenary by Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio as lawmakers returned from recess.
The amendment aims to boost capacity to handle rising caseloads, especially in complex matters like terrorism, taxation, and federal jurisdiction disputes. The bill also seeks to modernise court operations, including provisions for virtual and electronic hearings and updating operational terminology. Proposals include clarifying judicial ranking and seniority within the court structure. The Federal High Court originally had 50 judges; that number increased to 70 in 2009. Tinubu argues new demands require further expansion. The increase is intended to improve efficiency, reduce backlogs and delays, and strengthen adjudication in specialised legal areas. The Court of Appeal bill introduces provisions for Alternative Dispute Resolution Centres to provide mechanisms for settling matters outside formal proceedings.
Virtual hearings and electronic transmission of proceedings were emphasised as part of modernising Nigeria’s judiciary.
The president has also nominated Oyewole Joseph Olubunmi Kayode for confirmation as a Justice of the Supreme Court.
According to the presidency, the judiciary is facing growing workloads and increasingly complex cases, particularly in areas tied to national security, economic regulation, and federal jurisdiction. The expansion is designed to:
Reduce case delays
Increase judicial specialisation
Strengthen access to justice
Reinforce public confidence in the justice system
Experts have long advocated for reform including calls to improve resource allocation, infrastructure, and judicial capacity to address case backlogs and improve investor confidence in Nigeria’s legal climate. The bills have been referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative scrutiny and action.
Senators will review both expansion bills and the Supreme Court nomination as part of their constitutional oversight role.
This judicial expansion is among the most significant reforms advanced by the Tinubu administration in the legal sector since the inception of his tenure. If approved, it could mark one of the largest increases in judicial manpower in recent Nigerian history with implications for case management, judicial efficiency, and broader governance reforms.