The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has urged judges and other judicial officers across the country to prioritise the quick dispensation of justice in commercial disputes as part of efforts to ensure that businesses continue to thrive.
The minister made the call on Friday while delivering his remarks at the opening of a conference involving key justice sector stakeholders, organised by the Network of Justice Sector Reform Teams (NJSRT), 2025, in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
He emphasised that for a commercial dispute to be resolved efficiently, the entire justice ecosystem must work in harmony, explaining that this would include Pre-Action Collaboration involving the promotion of robust Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms to ensure that not every dispute ends up in the already overburdened courts.
The minister described the theme of the conference, ‘Interoperability between Access to Justice and the Ease of Doing Business’, as both timely and critical.
He noted that the theme sits at the core of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is anchored on attracting investment, creating jobs, and fostering sustainable economic growth.
Fagbemi, while explaining that there can be no meaningful economic progress without a robust, predictable, and efficient justice system, stated that the Ease of Doing Business is not merely a matter of enhancing bureaucratic efficiency, but ‘is fundamentally a critical factor in service delivery and justice administration’.
He said, ‘It includes institutional assurances which we give to a small business owner in Lafia, a tech entrepreneur in Lagos, and an international investor in London, that their rights will be protected, their contracts will be enforced, and their disputes will be resolved fairly and expeditiously.
‘For too long, our justice system has been perceived as a labyrinth—slow, complex, and inaccessible to the average citizen and business.
‘This perception, whether fully accurate or not, is a significant drag on our economy. It increases the cost of business, stifles innovation, and deters the patient capital we desperately need’.
The minister commended the Nasarawa State Government for leading the charge through its pursuit of specialised and rights-based justice, particularly in the inauguration of the Family Court system, making Nasarawa one of the first states in Nigeria to fully implement such a court structure.
He noted that the Family Court aligns the state judiciary with the provisions of its Child Rights Law.
He added, ‘The Network of Justice Sector Reform Teams were established by the ministry in our quest for a more collaborative, efficient and effective implementation of justice norms and prioritisation of the rule of law in Nigeria.
‘The teams are designed as the ‘think tanks’ and the ‘engine rooms’ of reform at the sub-national level, and your collaborative efforts remain indispensable to enhancing the administration of justice.
‘Today, I challenge the Justice Sector Teams to set measurable targets. For instance, how can we reduce the average case lifecycle for commercial disputes? How can we mainstream ADR into our court processes? How can we leverage technology to provide legal information and support to SMEs? These questions require elaborate, purposeful and decisive considerations.
‘I am confident that this meeting will produce innovative ideas and strengthen the bonds of collaboration among our various states. I look forward to receiving the outcomes of your discussions, which will undoubtedly inform and enrich our national policy framework’.
On his part, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, while declaring the event open, commended the Ministry of Justice for establishing the Network of Justice Sector Reform Teams and expressed confidence that through the NJSRT’s efforts, the issues of delayed justice delivery in commercial disputes and other specialised cases will be addressed.
He said, ‘Nasarawa State has consistently supported the judiciary sector to enhance its capacity and autonomy. We are ready to learn from the expertise gathered here today and to partner with you in implementing practical solutions.
‘I charge you, our learned friends and distinguished stakeholders, to use this meeting to forge concrete, actionable strategies. Let us move from diagnostics to implementation’.
In her remark, the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, welcomed the distinguished body of reformers, technocrats, and justice sector leaders to the NJSRT conference and appreciated Governor Abdullahi Sule for graciously hosting the event in the state.
She said, ‘Your Excellency’s commitment to facilitating this dialogue on justice reform is highly commendable and I appreciate the giant strides taken by your administration to reform the justice sector in Nasarawa State’.
