The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, on Thursday disclosed that the Nigerian Judiciary is embracing digital transformation and institutional reforms to tackle delays in justice delivery, improve court administration and strengthen public confidence in the judicial system.
She said the increasing demands on the courts had made it necessary for the Judiciary to move away from traditional methods of conducting judicial business and embrace technology-driven processes capable of improving efficiency, accountability and access to justice.
The CJN, who identified integrity as a critical foundation for the success of the reforms, maintained that technological advancement alone could not guarantee an effective justice system without judicial independence, impartiality and strong ethical values.
Kekere-Ekun made this known while delivering the convocation lecture at the 10th and 11th combined convocation ceremony of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, on Thursday.
In her lecture titled, “Beyond the Walls: Mentorship, Service and Excellence as Foundations for Meaningful Success,” the CJN said the Judiciary was placing considerable emphasis on modernising judicial processes, strengthening institutions and promoting the responsible use of technology to improve the administration of justice.
She identified the implementation of the Nigerian Case Management System (NCMS), electronic filing and improved judicial information systems as major components of the digital transformation agenda.
According to her, the initiatives are intended to provide a more coordinated and efficient framework for managing judicial proceedings, improve the handling of cases and reduce avoidable delays in the determination of disputes.
“Since assuming office as Chief Justice of Nigeria, I have placed considerable emphasis on the modernisation of judicial processes, institutional strengthening and the responsible use of technology to improve the administration of justice.
“Our digital transformation agenda is an important part of this effort. The development and implementation of the Nigerian Case Management System represents a significant step towards a more coordinated and efficient approach to the management of judicial proceedings.
“Through electronic filing, digital case management and improved judicial information systems, we are working towards a justice delivery framework that is more responsive to the needs of litigants, legal practitioners and judicial officers,” she said.
The CJN explained that the objective of the reforms was not simply to introduce technology into court operations but to address practical challenges affecting the administration of justice.
“The objective is not simply to introduce technology for its own sake. It is to address practical challenges in the administration of justice, improve the management of cases, reduce avoidable delays and strengthen public confidence in the judicial process,” she stated.
She, however, cautioned that the deployment of technology must be accompanied by appropriate safeguards, particularly in the areas of data protection, cybersecurity, judicial independence and the integrity of court processes.
Kekere-Ekun also disclosed that the Judiciary was placing emphasis on recruiting young professionals with an innate knowledge of modern information technology to support its digital transformation efforts.
She said the reforms extended beyond technology to strengthening the institutional framework for judicial administration, improving accountability and promoting continuous professional development.
According to her, judicial officers and supporting personnel must be adequately equipped to discharge their responsibilities in an increasingly complex legal and technological environment.
The CJN noted that the Judiciary, like other institutions, must be willing to examine its existing methods, respond to changing circumstances and improve the quality of its services.
“What was considered adequate yesterday may no longer be sufficient today,” she said, stressing that excellence required the willingness to rethink established practices whenever circumstances demanded improvement.
Reflecting on her judicial career, Kekere-Ekun recalled her participation in efforts to reform the civil justice process at the Lagos State High Court, where she was privileged to contribute to the introduction of front-loading of court processes, pre-trial conferences, witness statements on oath and greater integration of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
She explained that the reforms were aimed at improving the efficiency of judicial proceedings and ensuring that court procedures did not become unnecessary obstacles to the resolution of genuine grievances.
“These reforms were directed towards improving the efficiency of judicial proceedings and ensuring that the justice system responds more effectively to the needs of those who depend on it.
“Court procedures should facilitate the fair and timely determination of disputes, rather than become unnecessary obstacles to the resolution of genuine grievances,” she said.
The CJN maintained that the ultimate purpose of judicial reforms was to ensure that the justice system remained responsive to the needs of the people, noting that every case before a court involved individuals whose rights, liberty, property, family or livelihood could be affected by the outcome.
She said this understanding of justice had shaped her approach to judicial responsibility throughout her career, adding that the administration of justice must always be about people.
However, she stressed that the success of institutional reforms also depended on the character and integrity of those entrusted with public responsibilities.
Describing integrity as indispensable to meaningful success, the CJN warned that professional competence, influence and material achievements could not guarantee lasting respect where individuals lacked the ability to be trusted.
She said, “If there is one quality that must accompany every other achievement, it is integrity. You may occupy positions of considerable influence and enjoy the confidence of important people.
“Yet, if you cannot be trusted, the foundation upon which your achievements rest will remain fragile.”
She particularly emphasised that judicial independence and impartiality depended fundamentally on integrity, explaining that public confidence in the courts rested on the fairness, competence and impartiality with which judicial responsibilities were discharged.
According to her, integrity was reflected in the decisions individuals made when confronted with opportunities to take easier but improper routes.
“It is reflected in our willingness to acknowledge mistakes, honour commitments, give credit where it is due and remain faithful to established ethical standards.
“It requires courage to resist improper pressure, particularly where doing so may involve personal inconvenience or the loss of an immediate advantage,” she said.
Kekere-Ekun urged the graduating students to make integrity non-negotiable from the beginning of their professional careers, warning them against compromising their values in pursuit of personal gains or positions of influence.
“I therefore encourage you to make integrity non-negotiable from the very beginning of your careers. Do not wait until you occupy an important position before deciding what your values are.
“Establish your standards now. The small decisions you make today will influence the kind of professional you become tomorrow,” she advised.
She identified preparation, discipline and integrity as the three closely related qualities upon which excellence rested, noting that success should not be measured merely by professional titles, material possessions, financial achievements or social recognition.
She said excellence was reflected in the quality of work individuals produced, the standards they maintained and the manner in which they discharged their responsibilities, particularly when nobody was watching.
The CJN also urged the graduates to embrace continuous learning and acquire additional skills to remain relevant in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, automation, digital communication and emerging technologies.
She said professional qualifications obtained from universities should provide a foundation for further development rather than become an excuse for graduates to stop learning.
“To be competitive, do not rest on your laurels. You must be prepared to acquire additional skills, question established assumptions and adapt to changing circumstances,” she told the graduates.
On mentorship and service, Kekere-Ekun said no individual achieved anything of lasting value entirely through personal effort, stressing the importance of learning from experienced people and eventually extending similar guidance to younger generations.
She cited her experience as a newly appointed judge of the Lagos State High Court in 1996, recalling how the judicial work ethic and example of the former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Rosaline Omotosho, influenced her professional development.
She also identified Justice Dolapo Akinsanya as an example of judicial courage and independence, particularly through her landmark decision declaring the Interim National Government headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan illegal.
The CJN further maintained that education was both a personal achievement and a social responsibility, urging the graduates to deploy their knowledge, creativity and professional abilities towards addressing challenges confronting the country.
She called on lawyers, engineers, technology professionals, accountants and health practitioners to use their expertise to improve their communities and contribute to national development.
Kekere-Ekun also urged young Nigerians seeking educational and professional opportunities abroad not to lose sight of their responsibility to their country.
While acknowledging the difficulties confronting Nigeria, including challenges in the labour market and economic opportunities, she said the country’s future would depend significantly on the quality of citizens willing to take responsibility for its development.
“Nigeria will not make the progress we desire if those equipped with knowledge, skills and opportunities choose to remain elsewhere and devote their talents exclusively to the development of other societies,” she said.
She urged graduates who might travel abroad for further studies or professional exposure to return with the knowledge and experience needed to become part of the generation that would change the country’s development narrative.
The CJN also commended the founder and visitor of Elizade University, Chief Michael Ade Ojo, for investing in human capital through the establishment of the institution.
She described the university as an investment in the intellectual capacity, character and productive potential of generations of Nigerians, noting that institution-building created opportunities for others to achieve their potential long after the founder’s active years of enterprise.
She urged the university to sustain its aspiration of producing entrepreneurial, innovative and ethical graduates, stressing that technical competence divorced from integrity could undermine the progress of individuals and institutions.
The Chairman of the lecture and former Secretary of Afenifere, Bashorun Seinde Arogbofa, said the lecture had challenged the graduating students to reflect on the expectations of society and their parents as they prepared to enter the next phase of life.
Arogbofa said the theme was relevant to contemporary society, noting that it would remind the graduates of the responsibilities of leadership and the need to uphold integrity in their personal and professional lives.
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