Ekiti High Court Goes Digital As NCMS E-Filing Takes Effect

Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the administration of justice through technology-driven reforms, saying the adoption of a digital case management system will reduce delays and improve justice delivery.

Oyebanji said onboarding the state High Court onto the Nigeria Case Management System (NCMS) would address bottlenecks associated with manual court processes and make judicial proceedings more efficient.

The governor stated this at the official launch of the NCMS for the Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, describing the initiative as a significant milestone in the modernisation of the state’s justice system.

The NCMS is a centralised digital repository and electronic filing platform launched by the Supreme Court of Nigeria to track, manage and process civil and criminal proceedings electronically.

Represented by the Acting Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr Gbemiga Adaramola (SAN), Oyebanji said the introduction of the system went beyond deploying software, describing it as a fundamental shift towards a more efficient, technology-driven judicial system.

He said, “When our administration outlined our multi-pillar agenda for shared prosperity, we recognised that a stable, predictable and highly efficient judicial system is the bedrock of economic growth, social peace and investor confidence.”

Oyebanji said integrating court operations into the nationwide digital platform demonstrated the state government’s commitment to innovation and good governance.

He commended the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, and the judiciary’s leadership for their commitment to judicial reforms and the modernisation of court operations.

According to the governor, adopting the case management system and electronic filing application would reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and make judicial processes faster and more predictable for lawyers and litigants.

Also speaking at the event, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, commended the chief judge for introducing the system, saying it would simplify the filing of court cases and help prevent the misplacement of case files.

Aribasoye said the House of Assembly had adopted paperless operations and live broadcasts of plenary sessions through technological innovations. He added that the executive and judiciary were also embracing digital transformation.

Earlier, Ogunmoye recalled that the state judiciary inaugurated its Standing Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy Implementation on July 5, 2021, to strengthen efficiency and promote transparency in case management.

He said the committee was mandated to develop a comprehensive ICT policy for the judiciary, including the implementation of the NCMS electronic filing portal.

According to the chief judge, a stakeholders’ conference on the enrolment and onboarding of the High Court onto the system was held on February 9, 2026, paving the way for the official launch.

He said electronic filing would make justice more accessible and align court operations with global technological developments.

Ogunmoye explained that court processes, particularly the filing of documents, had largely been handled manually, adding that the new system would facilitate faster justice delivery and reduce the workload of stakeholders.

He said the platform would integrate electronic filing, registration, scheduling, tracking and case management.

However, the chief judge stressed the need for an appropriate legal framework to ensure the sustainability of the initiative.

He noted that the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2014, as amended, the Ekiti State Administration of Civil Justice Law 2019 and the High Court of Ekiti State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2020 did not provide for the electronic filing of court processes.

Ogunmoye said the gap necessitated the issuance of practice directions to provide a legal basis for the new system.

He announced that the Adoption and Deployment of the Nigeria Case Management System (NCMS) in Criminal and Civil Proceedings 2026 Practice Directions would take effect from October 22, 2026.

Under the new directions, he said, only documents received and stored through the High Court’s NCMS electronic filing portal would constitute proper court records for new cases filed from that date.

He added that copies of the practice directions would be available at the High Court library for a token fee.

The chief judge expressed appreciation to Oyebanji for creating an enabling environment for the judiciary to function effectively.

He also acknowledged the contributions of the Chief Judge of Borno State and Chairman of the Judiciary Information Technology Policy Committee, Justice Kashim Zannah, OFR, as well as judges, magistrates, registrars, ICT personnel, administrative staff and members of the Bar.