Stakeholders in Nigeria’s justice sector converged on Maiduguri, Borno State, last week, for a landmark retreat that set the stage for reshaping the country’s legal system through technology, innovation, and coordinated reforms, reports DUKU JOEL.
Nigeria’s justice sector took a bold step last week, toward reform as stakeholders gathered in Maiduguri, Borno State, for a two-day retreat on strengthening justice delivery through technology, innovation, and coordinated reform.
Convened by the Federal Ministry of Justice under Attorney-General Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the forum brought together key justice institutions, policymakers, and legal experts.
Discussions centred on deploying digital tools to reduce case backlogs, improve transparency, and make the system more accessible, especially for vulnerable groups.
With Borno’s post-insurgency rebuilding efforts as backdrop, participants emphasised collaboration, accountability, and innovation as critical drivers for a faster, fairer, and people-centred justice system
Held under the theme: “Strengthening Justice Sector Service Delivery through Technology, Innovation, and Coordinated Reform,” the event brought together the heads of Nigeria’s most critical justice institutions.
For many participants, the retreat was more than a meeting — it was a turning point, a crucible where old silos gave way to a collective vision of a digital, transparent, and citizen-friendly justice system.
Fagbemi: Future of justice lies in technology
Fagbemi left no doubt about the scale of ambition.
“The future of justice in Nigeria is intrinsically linked to its embrace of technology,” he declared. “The methods of achieving justice must evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.
“Our citizens expect services that are not only fair but also efficient, transparent, and accessible.”
Fagbemi argued that technology is no longer optional but central to justice delivery.
From digital case management and artificial intelligence in legal research to online access to legal services, he said, innovations offer a unique chance to tackle the judiciary’s biggest challenges — case backlogs, delays, and limited access to justice.
But he issued a caution: technology alone is not sufficient.
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“It must be embedded within a coordinated reform agenda that fosters collaboration, accountability, and innovation across the sector,” he said.
Breaking the silo mentality
The AGF stressed that a fragmented approach to justice was no longer tenable.
“The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Legal Aid Council, the Human Rights Commission, the Law Reform Commission, the Nigerian Copyright Commission — all these institutions carry noble responsibilities, but too often they work in isolation,” he said.
He urged participants to dismantle silos and build a justice ecosystem where institutions complement rather than duplicate each other.
“Together, they form a constellation of institutions whose combined light must guide our nation toward fairness, efficiency, and trust in the rule of law,” he said.
Institutions at the heart of reform
The retreat highlighted the roles of different institutions in the reform drive.
• NDLEA: for its battle against drug abuse and trafficking.
• NAPTIP: for defending the most vulnerable, particularly victims of human trafficking.
• Legal Aid Council: for ensuring access to justice for the poor.
• NHRC: for standing as the conscience of Nigeria’s democracy.
• Nigerian Law School & NIALS: for shaping the next generation of lawyers.
• Law Reform Commission: for keeping laws relevant to changing realities.
• Copyright Commission: for safeguarding intellectual property.
• Regional Centre for Arbitration: for aligning Nigeria with global best practices.
By placing all these institutions on the same platform, the AGF made clear that reform must be collaborative, comprehensive, and citizen-focused.
Jedy-Agba: Coordinated reform is non-negotiable
Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, echoed the AGF’s message, insisting that “true transformation requires coordinated reform across the entire justice sector.”
She described the retreat’s agenda — including cluster sessions informed by a pre-retreat survey — as deliberately designed to move beyond rhetoric to practical solutions.
“The collective desire for an efficient, accessible, and equitable justice system is a powerful force that now has a clear-eyed strategy to guide it,” she said.
The symbolism of holding the retreat in Borno State was not lost on her.
A region scarred by insurgency, Borno provided a powerful backdrop for conversations about justice as an instrument of healing and rebuilding.
Zulum: Technology is a necessity
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State delivered a sobering keynote, tying justice reform to the realities of insurgency, terrorism, and community rebuilding.
“In the aftermath of tragic events such as the recent terrorist attack in Darul Jamal, citizens now demand a faster, more transparent, and more accountable justice system,” Zulum said.
“These expectations cannot be achieved using outdated tools or fragmented systems. Technology must be embraced not as a luxury, but as a necessity.”
Zulum highlighted how digital tools had already transformed Borno’s justice system: enabling virtual court sittings, improving prison decongestion, and expanding access to legal aid in hard-to-reach communities.
But like the AGF, he warned that technology alone is not enough.
“We need innovations not only in ICT gadgets but in mindsets, procedures, and leadership approach,” he said.
“Justice must serve as a foundation for healing, rebuilding trust, and restoring the social contract.”
Shittu: Bridging the rural-urban justice divide
In one of the retreat’s most thought-provoking papers, Dr. Wahab Shittu (SAN) addressed the theme: “Strengthening Justice in Nigeria: Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide.”
He argued that despite constitutional guarantees, many rural Nigerians remain effectively cut off from justice. The barriers, he said, are both structural and systemic:
• Geographical limitations: Courts and legal institutions are concentrated in urban centres. Farmers and traders often face prohibitively costly and time-consuming journeys to access justice.
• Poverty and economic exclusion: High litigation costs, including lawyers’ and filing fees, keep justice out of reach for the poor.
• Illiteracy and lack of awareness: Many Nigerians cannot read or write, making it impossible to understand legal documents or enforce rights.
• Weak institutions and corruption: Delays, inefficiencies, and corruption erode public trust and deny justice in practice.
“Justice delayed is not only justice denied; in rural Nigeria, it is justice abandoned,” Dr. Shittu warned.
Using technology to close the gap
Despite these challenges, Dr. Shittu pointed to Nigeria’s high mobile penetration as a unique opportunity. He recommended:
• E-filing and digital case management to reduce delays.
• Mobile and USSD platforms to allow citizens to lodge complaints, seek legal aid, and receive updates without internet access.
• Community radio, SMS alerts, and local-language broadcasts to spread legal awareness.
Beyond technology, he urged a community-based approach, including mobile courts, grassroots legal clinics, and ADR mechanisms led by trained traditional leaders.
“By formalising local dispute-resolution systems while embedding human rights standards, Nigeria can create a hybrid justice model that is both accessible and legitimate,” he said.
Ngige: Legal education must catch up
Another critical intervention came from Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, who spoke on “Innovations in Legal Education: Preparing Lawyers for the Digital Age.”
He noted the law school’s chronic underfunding, energy insecurity, and shortage of ICT-trained personnel as obstacles to modernising legal training. “Funds meant for technology are wasted on diesel to power campuses,” he lamented.
Ngige called for:
•Improved funding to modernise infrastructure.
• Strengthened ICT training for students and faculty.
• Ethical guidelines for using AI, robotics, and blockchain in legal practice.
• Stronger collaboration between Nigerian and foreign law schools.
• Continuous professional training for lawyers and judges through the NBA.
“Though digital tools have transformed legal practice, caution must remain the watchword,” he said. “A right infusion of governance and ethics is essential.”
Innovation, ethics as pillars of reform
Two papers emphasised innovation and ethics as pillars of reform.
Shamsudeen Hammed, representing NITDA’s DG/CEO, presented “Design Thinking for Collaborative Problem-Solving in Justice Sector Reforms: Lessons from the UAE.”
He argued that traditional, rigid approaches often fail in complex justice challenges.
Instead, Design Thinking—human-centred, empathetic, and iterative—should place citizens at the core of reforms.
Drawing from the UAE, he stressed treating citizens as customers, using pilots that “fail fast and learn faster,” and adopting KPIs like backlog reduction and user satisfaction. Leaders were urged to prototype, empathise with users, and collaborate across silos.
Prof. Olanrewaju Onadeko (SAN), in his paper “Guardians of Justice: Prosecutors at the Intersection of Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights,” underscored prosecutors’ vital role in justice delivery.
He highlighted their duty to balance accountability with fairness and human rights while upholding ethics and professionalism.
He recommended adopting a prosecutorial code of conduct, strengthening adherence to professional guidelines, and ensuring prosecutors receive adequate security given the dangers of their work.
Together, the papers called for a justice system that is innovative, ethical, and people-centred—anchored on technology, empathy, and professionalism.
Toward a citizen-centred justice system
Across the sessions, a consensus emerged: justice reform is not just a technical matter but a moral imperative.
For Fagbemi, technology must be wedded to accountability and collaboration.
For Jedy-Agba, reform must be coordinated. For Zulum, justice is central to peace and healing.
For Shittu, inclusivity is non-negotiable. For Ngige, legal education must keep pace with innovation.
Each voice added to the same conclusion: Nigeria must embrace a whole-of-society approach where institutions, communities, and citizens together redefine justice for the 21st century.
The Maiduguri retreat may go down as a watershed moment for Nigeria’s justice sector.
For the first time, the heads of institutions came together not only to identify problems but to agree on a shared roadmap.
The message was clear: technology and innovation, guided by reform and accountability, are the levers by which justice in Nigeria can be transformed.
If the commitments made in Maiduguri are sustained, Nigerians may yet witness a justice system that is faster, fairer, more transparent, and, above all, accessible to every citizen, whether in the bustling streets of Lagos or the remote villages of Borno.
