The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has announced that the ongoing justice sector reform is prioritizing two key objectives: improving citizens' access to justice and enhancing the efficiency of the justice system.
Reform Teams as Engine Rooms of Change
The Minister made this declaration on Friday during the Conference of the Network of Justice Sector Reform Teams held in Lafia, Nasarawa State's capital. Fagbemi disclosed that the Justice Ministry under the Tinubu administration established these teams to foster collaborative, efficient, and effective implementation of justice norms while prioritizing the rule of law nationwide.
"The Teams are designed as the 'think tanks' and the 'engine rooms' of reform at the sub-national level," Fagbemi stated, emphasizing that their collaborative efforts remain indispensable to enhancing justice administration.
Linking Justice Reform to Economic Growth
The conference theme, "Interoperability between Access to Justice and the Ease of Doing Business," was described as both timely and critical. Fagbemi noted that this theme sits at the core of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's "Renewed Hope" agenda, which focuses on attracting investment, creating jobs, and fostering sustainable economic growth.
"There can be no meaningful economic progress without a robust, predictable, and efficient justice system," the Minister emphasized. He explained that ease of doing business extends beyond bureaucratic efficiency to become a critical factor in service delivery and justice administration.
Fagbemi highlighted that institutional assurances must protect the rights of diverse stakeholders—from a small business owner in Lafia to a tech entrepreneur in Lagos and an international investor in London—ensuring their contracts will be enforced and disputes resolved fairly and expeditiously.
Transforming the Justice Labyrinth
The Minister acknowledged that Nigeria's justice system has long been perceived as a labyrinth—slow, complex, and inaccessible to average citizens and businesses. He stressed that for efficient commercial dispute resolution, the entire justice ecosystem must work harmoniously.
This includes promoting robust Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms to prevent every dispute from reaching the already overburdened courts.
Concluding his address, Fagbemi made a powerful statement: "We must ensure that justice is not a luxury reserved for the wealthy or the connected. It must be a public good, available to all, including the poor, the vulnerable, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), who are the lifeblood of our economy."
He reinforced that "justice delayed is justice denied" is not merely a legal maxim but a profound economic truth that demands timely justice delivery.
Nasarawa Governor Endorses Reform Agenda
In his opening remarks, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule commended the Justice Ministry for selecting his state as the conference host. The governor noted that the theme resonates powerfully with his administration's governance philosophy.
Sule revealed that his primary mandate involves creating a safe, secure, and prosperous environment for citizens, with aggressive pursuit of private sector investment to harness the state's mineral and agricultural potential, create jobs, and build sustainable infrastructure.
"Investors are not just looking for resources; they are looking for certainty," Sule stated. "They want a jurisdiction where the rule of law is not a mere slogan, but a lived reality."
The governor emphasized that the "Ease of Doing Business" is directly proportional to "Access to Justice," noting that a slow, analogue, and unpredictable justice system poses as great a barrier to investment as poor infrastructure.
Sule assured that his administration supports judiciary capacity building and autonomy while leveraging technology to improve service delivery. He expressed readiness to learn from gathered expertise and partner in implementing practical solutions, moving from diagnostics to implementation.
The governor posed critical questions for consideration: "How can we leverage technology to fast-track commercial disputes? How can we strengthen Alternative Dispute Resolution to decongest our courts? What best practices can we share across states to ensure that a business in Nasarawa enjoys the same level of judicial certainty as one in Lagos or Kano?"
