The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has revealed that the Supreme Court delivered 369 judgments during the 2024/2025 Legal Year out of the 2,280 matters it considered.
Gatekeepers News reports that Justice Kekere-Ekun made the disclosure at the Special Session marking the opening of the 2025/2026 Legal Year, where 57 lawyers were also formally conferred with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Breakdown of Cases
According to the CJN, the Court entertained 1,720 motions during the year, comprising 1,025 civil, 488 criminal, and 27 Sharia-related matters.
It also considered 560 appeals: 352 civil, 180 criminal, six political, 15 Sharia, and seven originating summons.
“From these matters, a total of 369 judgments were delivered,” she said.
She noted that this reflects significant progress compared to the 2023/2024 Legal Year, when the Supreme Court handled 1,124 cases, culminating in 247 judgments. The CJN attributed the improvement to innovative case management strategies and enhanced judicial capacity.
Progress on Corruption Cases
Justice Kekere-Ekun also highlighted the work of the Supreme Court’s Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO), led by retired Justice Suleiman Galadima.
She disclosed that in the first and second quarters of 2025:
• The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured 1,417 convictions.
• The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) initiated 43 new cases and secured nine convictions.
She added that the ICPC recorded a decline in corruption and financial crime prosecutions, which she described as “a positive development” resulting from stronger preventive measures.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Rank
Turning to the 57 new SANs, the CJN reminded recipients that the rank “signifies not only professional excellence but also a commitment to ethical conduct and upholding the integrity of the legal profession.” She cautioned that the rank would be withdrawn in cases of abuse.
Tackling Case Backlogs
Justice Kekere-Ekun recalled that as of Q1 2024, Nigeria’s Superior Courts of Record (excluding the Supreme Court) had 243,253 pending cases — 199,747 civil and 43,506 criminal.
She urged judges to maximize the use of digital case management tools, including virtual courtrooms, e-filing, and the Judicial Performance Evaluation Software (JPES), while also embracing alternative dispute resolution mechanisms like mediation and arbitration to ease the burden on courts.
