President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has moved to increase the number of judges in Nigeria’s Court of Appeal and Federal High Court to help the judiciary handle a growing workload and complex cases.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a letters sent to the National Assembly, he requested amendments to the Court of Appeal Act to raise justices from 70 to 110, and to the Federal High Court Act to increase judges from 70 to 90.
The move is part of broader judicial reforms aimed at strengthening the capacity, speed, and quality of justice delivery.
Tinubu explained that the expansion would help courts deal more efficiently with specialised cases such as terrorism, financial crimes, taxation, and other federal matters that have increased pressure on the judicial system.
Alongside the increase in judges, the Court of Appeal amendments include modernising operations with virtual and electronic hearings and establishing an Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre to reduce backlog. The changes also aim to clarify judicial structure and seniority within the appellate court.
