The Nigerian Senate is deliberating on a bill to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court from 21 to 30, in a bid to address the mounting backlog of cases and improve the delivery of justice.
Senator Osita Izunaso, representing Imo West, disclosed the proposal during a press briefing in Abuja to mark his second year in the 10th National Assembly. He noted that although the Supreme Court recently attained its constitutional quota of 21 justices, following the appointment of 11 new members in 2023, the current number is still insufficient to meet the growing demands on the court.
“Even with the full complement of 21 justices, the Supreme Court is overwhelmed,” Izunaso said. “The volume of cases reaching the court daily is alarming. Some litigants are being given hearing dates as far ahead as 2027 and 2028.”
The senator explained that increasing the number of justices would enable the court to sit in more panels, thereby accelerating case hearings. “Supreme Court justices typically sit in panels of five, or seven for constitutional matters. If we have 30 justices, it allows the formation of at least five panels simultaneously. That way, more cases can be handled at a faster pace,” he said.
Izunaso also advocated for reforms to limit the types of cases that reach the apex court. He questioned why relatively minor cases, such as land disputes or tenancy issues, are allowed to escalate to the highest judicial level.
“Why should a land matter in my village end up in the Supreme Court?” he asked. “Many of these issues should start from the customary court and end at the high court. The apex court should be reserved for cases of national or constitutional importance — terrorism, homicide, grand corruption.”
He cited examples of tenancy and family disputes reaching the Supreme Court, describing the trend as a systemic failure that clogs the judiciary and delays justice in more pressing matters. He recounted a case that had been resolved by families of deceased litigants but was still listed for Supreme Court hearing in 2026.
While rejecting the notion of establishing regional supreme courts, Izunaso stressed the importance of a single, centralized apex court to maintain the unity and sanctity of Nigeria’s judicial system. “What we need is better filtration at a lower level, not more supreme courts,” he said.
The senator also noted that the red chamber is considering a bill for the creation of Anim State in the South-East geopolitical zone, which has passed second reading and is currently under review by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review.
