…laments on the workload on judges in the Nigerian judicial system
Abuja, October 8, 2024 – The President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Justice Benedict Kanyip, revealed that 6,992 cases remain pending. This was disclosed during a special sitting marking the 2024/2025 legal year in Abuja.
Backlog of Cases and Heavy Workload on Judges
Out of 8,608 cases received since 2022, only 1,616 have been resolved. Justice Kanyip emphasized the overwhelming burden faced by judges across the country.
“The workload ratio per judge is 186.80,” he said, explaining that this figure represents the average number of cases handled by each judge in the first quarter of 2024.
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Divisions Under Pressure
Certain divisions, like Owerri and Makurdi, are particularly overwhelmed. Owerri and Makurdi Divisions each handle over 500 cases with just one judge. Due to poor funding, it has been impossible to assign additional judges or provide essential resources such as second courtrooms.
ADR Centre Underutilized
The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre, set up to ease the workload of the court, has been grossly underutilized.
- 2023: Only 41 cases were referred to ADR, with only nine settled.
- 2024 (to date): Six out of 34 cases referred have been resolved. Others have returned to the courts for further action.
Justice Kanyip noted the importance of ADR in reducing the court’s backlog, urging litigants and their counsel to make better use of the system.
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Call for Judicial Reforms
Justice Kanyip praised the recent salary increment for judicial officers and the extension of the retirement age to 70 for judges outside the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.
“Section 291 of the 1999 Constitution should be amended to ensure that retired judges receive the same salary and allowances as their counterparts still in service,” he added.
