President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a bill to the Senate seeking an amendment of the Court of Appeal Act to increase the number of justices from 70 to 110, in a move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s appellate justice system and addressing rising caseloads.
The request was contained in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and read during plenary on Tuesday.
Tinubu explained that the proposed amendment is designed to enhance the institutional capacity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the Court of Appeal in line with constitutional provisions and current realities within the justice sector.
According to the President, the expansion of the court’s bench is the central feature of the bill, intended to ease workload pressures and improve the speed of adjudication.
“The bill seeks to increase the number of justices of the Court of Appeal from 70 to 110 and to clarify the judicial structure and seniority within the court,” Tinubu stated.
He noted that the legislation also proposes a reorganisation of provisions governing the ranking of justices, including the position of the President of the Court of Appeal and the determination of seniority among serving justices.
In addition, the bill introduces reforms to modernise appellate proceedings through the use of technology.
Tinubu said the amendment would allow proceedings of the Court of Appeal to be conducted via electronic and audio means, as well as provide for the establishment of an Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre within the court.
The proposed ADR Centre, according to the President, would enable certain appellate matters to be referred for settlement, helping to reduce delays and promote faster resolution of disputes.
Tinubu further stated that the amendment seeks to update terminology and definitions in the principal Act, including formal recognition of virtual hearings and modern correctional nomenclature, while consolidating interpretative provisions to ensure clarity and consistency.
He said the reforms were timely in view of increasing pressure on the appellate justice system nationwide, adding that the changes would improve access to justice, reduce delays, and strengthen public confidence in the judiciary.
Following the reading of the letter, Senate President Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative consideration.
The development comes amid ongoing concerns over capacity constraints in Nigeria’s superior courts.
Last year, the Senate considered a separate bill to expand the number of Supreme Court justices to address a growing backlog of cases at the apex court.
Meanwhile, Tinubu has also written to the Senate seeking confirmation of Justice Oyewole Kayode as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The request was referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further action.
