Stakeholders Seek Swift, Business-friendly Justice Delivery

Judicial stakeholders, business leaders and policy makers have converged in Lafia, Nasarawa State to brainstorm on how to accelerate dispute resolution to ensure a more efficient, commercially responsive and attractive environment for both domestic and international investment in the country.

The event which was put together by the Network of Justice Sector Reform Teams (NJSRT) had the theme, “Interoperability between Access to Justice and the Ease of Doing Business”.

Speaking at the event, the attorney-general and minister of justice, Lateef Fagbemi, said there could be no meaningful economic progress without a robust, predictable and efficient justice system.

“The Ease of Doing Business is not merely a matter of enhancing bureaucratic efficiency; it is fundamentally a critical factor in service delivery and justice administration,” he said.

According to him, the theme of the conference aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, anchored on attracting investment, creating jobs and fostering sustainable economic growth.

He said the perceived notion that Nigeria’s justice system was slow, complex and inaccessible to the average citizen and business had been a draw back on the economy generally.

“This perception, whether fully accurate or not, is a significant drag on our economy; and it increases the cost of business, stifles innovation, and deters the patient capital we desperately need,” he stated.

He promised that the government would ensure that justice is not a luxury reserved for the wealthy or the connected, but a public good and available to all, including the poor, the vulnerable, and SMEs who are the lifeblood of the economy.

“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,” he assured.

He, however, said the federal government cannot do it alone because the bulk of retail justice delivery happens at the state level.

“This is why your work as Justice Sector Reform Teams is so vital. I urge you, during your deliberations, to move beyond identifying problems and to focus on developing practical, home-grown solutions that can be implemented and scaled.

“Let us take a lead from the laudable feats of the Nasarawa State government today, which continues to lead in advancing the administration of justice.

“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,” he charged.

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule said his administration had been a consistent advocate of judicial reforms that support swift dispensation of justice, alternative dispute resolution and unfettered access to justice.

He noted that the state government had put in place effective regulatory framework and enabling environment that’s attracting investors to the fold.

“We are aggressively seeking private sector investment to harness our vast mineral and agricultural potential, create jobs, and build sustainable infrastructure.

“However, we know that investors are not just looking for resources; they are looking for certainty, they are looking for a jurisdiction where the rule of law is not a mere slogan, but a lived reality.

“They want to know that commercial agreements will be respected, that regulatory frameworks are stable, and that in the event of a dispute, they will have access to a fair, impartial, and efficient Justice System,” he said.