Supreme Court delivered 411 judgments in one year – CJN

Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun announced that Nigeria's Supreme Court completed 2,456 matters and handed down 411 judgments in the 2025/2026 legal year. The Chief Justice made this disclosure during a special session marking the start of the 2026/2027 legal year in Abuja. The Supreme Court handled 1,179 civil cases, 573 criminal cases, 13 Sharia-related cases, and 676 appeals.

Among the appeals were 433 civil cases, 212 criminal cases, 19 political cases, 12 Sharia cases, and 10 originating summons. Of the 411 judgments delivered, 433 were general civil appeals, 212 were criminal appeals, 19 were political appeals, 12 were Sharia appeals, and 10 originated from summons. While these figures provide an indication of the court's activity, they do not capture the full scope of the court's operations.

The Chief Justice highlighted the court's focus on efficient docket management to tackle delays and the accumulation of pending cases. The E-Diary Office scheduled 1,385 matters for regular sittings between March 23 and December 17, 2026. Out of these, 733 matters were older cases brought forward for hearing. Additionally, 178 moribund matters were disposed of in Chambers, and 125 concluded matters were identified and removed from the active list.

These efforts demonstrate a proactive approach to managing the docket, making the court more efficient and better suited to meet the expectations of litigants.