Senate Passes Bill to Expand Court Justices to 110 and Judges to 90

June 14, 2026 3 min read

The Nigerian Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would increase Court of Appeal Justices to 110 and Federal High Court Judges to 90, a move sponsors say will tackle chronic case backlogs overwhelming the nation's courts. The legislation, if signed into law, would represent one of the largest expansions of the federal judiciary in recent decades.

Legislative Move to Address Court Congestion

The Senate approved the amendment to the Federal High Court Act and the Court of Appeal Act during its Wednesday session. Senator Olamilekan Adeola, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, championed the bill as a necessary response to a system strained by insufficient judicial personnel. The proposed figures mark a substantial jump from current establishment levels.

Under existing law, the Federal High Court is authorised to seat 68 judges. The Court of Appeal currently operates with a smaller complement that has struggled to handle the volume of appeals flowing upward from trial courts across Nigeria's 36 states and Federal Capital Territory.

Backlog Driving the Expansion

Nigeria's court system has long grappled with delays that leave cases pending for years. Legal practitioners and litigants alike have criticised the pace of justice, citing bottlenecks that undermine public confidence in the judiciary. Proponents of the bill argue that adding judicial seats directly addresses this problem by increasing the system's throughput capacity.

The bill's sponsor cited data showing federal courts consistently operate below optimal staffing levels, with vacancy rates contributing to congestion in civil and criminal divisions alike. Wednesday's vote signals the Senate's determination to reverse that trend through targeted expansion.

Stakeholder Reception

Reactions from legal professionals have been mixed. Some welcome the increase as a practical step toward reducing wait times for parties seeking court resolution. Others caution that expanding the bench alone may not cure deeper structural problems afflicting the judiciary, including infrastructure deficits and administrative bottlenecks.

The Nigerian Bar Association has not issued a formal statement on the bill as of Wednesday evening, though individual practitioners have taken to social media to debate its merits. Supporters say the expansion signals serious intent to reform the justice system; critics question whether adequate funding will follow to make the new positions meaningful.

Federal High Court Seats Nearly Doubled

The most dramatic change proposed by the legislation concerns the Federal High Court, which handles matters including federal jurisdiction disputes, revenue cases, and maritime law. With judges currently stretched across multiple divisions, advocates for expansion argue that Abuja and state capitals alike would benefit from additional sitting judges.

The Court of Appeal, which hears appeals from the Federal High Court and state high courts, would see its bench grow to 110 justices under the proposed law. That figure would position Nigeria among African nations with the highest appellate court-to-population ratios, according to advocates who point to rising litigation volumes as justification.

Path to Implementation

The bill now awaits transmission to the President for signature. Once signed, the Ministry of Finance must allocate funds to support the new judicial appointments and associated administrative costs. The National Judicial Council would then oversee the nomination and confirmation process for candidates to fill the expanded positions.

Observers expect the executive branch to support the legislation, given its focus on improving access to justice. However, the timeline for actual judicial appointments remains uncertain, given the multi-stage process required to vet and confirm new judges.

What Happens Next

The bill becomes law upon presidential assent. Legal analysts and court administrators will be watching closely for implementation details, including how quickly the National Judicial Council can recruit and onboard new judges. The impact on case disposition rates may take years to materialise fully, but proponents say the investment signals a renewed commitment to an efficient judiciary.

The expansion represents the most ambitious judicial appointment increase proposed in Nigeria in recent history. Whether it translates into faster justice for ordinary Nigerians will depend heavily on follow-through by the executive branch and judicial administration in the months ahead.