The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has stressed that the Judiciary’s legitimacy and effectiveness depend not only on legal interpretation but also on public trust and responsible financial management.
Speaking at the opening of a national workshop on judicial financial management in Abuja – organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI) – the CJN emphasized that true judicial excellence is reflected in both the quality of judgments and the transparency of court governance.
“It is crucial that we address the systemic challenges that hinder financial efficiency in the judiciary,” she said. Her remarks were delivered by the NJI Administrator, Justice Salisu Abdullahi.
Justice Kekere-Ekun identified administrative inefficiencies, outdated financial systems, procedural bottlenecks, and weak internal controls as factors responsible for delays and reduced capacity in delivering justice.
She reiterated that financial autonomy is an essential pillar of judicial independence, warning that a Judiciary reliant on Executive goodwill cannot function independently. However, she was quick to stress that autonomy must go hand-in-hand with accountability.
