The Senate has passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Court of Appeal Act to increase the number of Justices of the Court from 70 to 110 as part of efforts to strengthen the administration of justice in Nigeria.
The bill was presented during plenary by the Senate Leader, Senator , who outlined its general principles and objectives.
Leading the debate, Senator Bamidele said the proposed amendment to the Court of Appeal Act, Cap. C36, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, is aimed at expanding the court’s capacity, modernising its operations and enhancing access to justice through the integration of virtual court proceedings.
He noted that the Court of Appeal occupies a strategic position within the Nigerian judiciary as the country’s foremost appellate court and has witnessed a significant increase in workload over the years.
According to him, factors such as population growth, expansion of economic activities, increasing electoral disputes, constitutional litigation, commercial transactions and the growing demand for judicial remedies have placed enormous pressure on the court.
The Senate Leader observed that the institutional capacity of the court has not expanded at the same pace as the volume and complexity of cases before it, creating the need for urgent legislative intervention.
He said the bill would reposition the Court of Appeal for greater efficiency, accessibility and responsiveness to contemporary realities, while addressing long-standing structural and operational challenges.
Senator Bamidele maintained that the proposed reforms would strengthen judicial capacity, improve court operations, expand access to justice and enhance the efficiency of appellate adjudication across the country.
He urged lawmakers to support the legislation, describing it as a timely and necessary reform that would help the judiciary meet the demands of a rapidly evolving society.
Following its passage for second reading, the President of the Senate, , referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative scrutiny.
Akpabio expressed confidence that the proposed amendment would help decongest the Court of Appeal and accelerate the dispensation of justice.
He stressed that timely justice remains critical to the rule of law, noting that “justice delayed is justice denied.”