Prof Osinbajo Decries Delays in Civil Suits, Calls for Judicial Reforms

Former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has sounded a fresh alarm over Nigeria’s slow and inefficient justice system, warning that the credibility of the courts is under threat, unless urgent reforms are carried out. Speaking in Abuja at the public presentation of Civil Litigation: A Quick Reference Guide to Substantive Law and Procedure by retired Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie, Osinbajo said that civil suits dragging for decades have eroded public confidence in the Judiciary.

He recalled a case where the English Court of Appeal dismissed arguments to keep a commercial dispute in Nigeria, after a former Chief Justice admitted that civil litigation could take 20 to 30 years. “The English court concluded that leaving such matters unresolved in Nigeria would be catastrophic”, Prof Osinbajo said, describing the remark as both sobering and instructive.

For him, the delays are driven, not by lack of laws, but by systemic inefficiencies. He cited endless adjournments, preliminary objections, interlocutory appeals, and what he termed “recycled legal jargon”, as procedural bottlenecks that entrap litigants in a cycle of frustration. “Justice under such conditions ceases to be about access, and becomes about escape”, he remarked.

The former Vice President also spoke candidly, about the challenges of legal education. He revealed that although two of his children were initially expected to study law, none did, discouraged by what he called, the “mountain of books and overwhelming academic demands” that deter many young people from pursuing the profession.

Looking ahead, Prof Osinbajo said that technology — particularly artificial intelligence (AI) — holds the potential to radically transform Nigeria’s justice delivery. 

He explained that AI tools can now analyse vast databases, draft legal opinions in the style of a firm, assist Judges in writing judgements, and seamlessly record court proceedings. “These are not possibilities of the future; they are here now. Our Judiciary must embrace them, if we want timely outcomes”, he urged.

Observers say Prof Osinbajo’s intervention, echoes concerns previously raised by stakeholders. The Nigerian Bar Association has repeatedly complained that delays not only deny justice, but also discourage investment, while global indices such as the World Bank’s Doing Business Report have ranked Nigeria poorly on contract enforcement, partly because of sluggish court processes.

Turning to the author of the book, Prof Osinbajo congratulated Justice Adefope-Okojie for producing the fourth edition of the 853-page reference work. He described the book as “a landmark achievement”, that will continue to guide practitioners and scholars in navigating Nigeria’s complex civil procedure.

He concluded by urging Lawyers, Judges, and policymakers to seize the moment for reform. “It is only through bold changes and adoption of modern tools, that our courts can reclaim the trust of the people”, Prof Osinbajo said.