President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally moved to amend the Court of Appeal Act, transmitting a bill to the National Assembly that proposes far-reaching reforms aimed at strengthening the capacity, efficiency, and modernisation of Nigeria’s appellate court system.
Central to the proposed amendments is a significant expansion in the number of Justices of the Court of Appeal. The bill seeks to increase the statutory number of Justices—including the President of the Court—from the current 70 to 110. The proposed increase is intended to address chronic case backlogs, rising appellate workloads, and delays that have continued to strain judicial efficiency, particularly in election-related and constitutional appeals.
The bill also introduces reforms to statutory provisions governing the composition, precedence, and ranking of Justices of the Court of Appeal. These changes are designed to clarify the status and ranking of the President of the Court and to establish clearer rules for determining seniority among Justices—an area that has historically generated administrative uncertainty and leadership disputes within the judiciary.
In line with broader digital justice and court modernisation efforts, the proposed amendments provide for the conduct of Court of Appeal proceedings through electronic and audio-visual means. This innovation is expected to enhance access to justice, reduce procedural delays, and allow for more flexible and efficient management of appeals, particularly in time-sensitive matters and cases involving geographically dispersed parties.
Another notable feature of the bill is the proposed establishment of an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre within the Court of Appeal. Under the proposal, suitable appellate matters may be referred to the Centre for amicable settlement. The initiative is aimed at promoting faster dispute resolution, reducing the litigation burden on the appellate courts, and encouraging a more conciliatory approach to justice delivery at the appellate stage.
To support the effective operation of the ADR Centre, the bill further empowers the President of the Court of Appeal to issue regulations and practice directions governing its procedures and administration. This is intended to ensure clarity, consistency, and predictability for litigants and legal practitioners engaging with the new framework.
The proposed amendments will now be subjected to full legislative scrutiny, including first and second readings in both chambers of the National Assembly, committee review, and public hearings. Lawmakers are expected to examine the implications of the reforms for judicial independence, access to justice, and the management of electoral and constitutional appeals, which constitute a significant portion of the Court of Appeal’s docket.
The President’s letter transmitting the bill was read on the floor of both the Senate and the House of Representatives upon the resumption of plenary sittings on Tuesday, 27 January 2026, following the end-of-year recess.
If enacted, the amendments would represent one of the most significant statutory reforms of Nigeria’s appellate court system in recent years, with long-term implications for justice delivery and judicial administration.