The National Judicial Institute (NJI) has warned that misconduct by a single court staff member could erode public confidence painstakingly built by the Nigerian Judiciary over the years.

The warning came as the NJI opened a national workshop on judicial ethics for court and other judicial staff on Monday in Abuja, with the Institute stressing that judicial integrity must extend beyond judges to every individual involved in the administration of justice.

Administrator of the NJI, Hon. Justice B.A. Adejumo, said the Judiciary’s credibility could be damaged by seemingly minor acts of discourtesy, indiscretion, favouritism or misconduct by personnel who interact with court users or handle sensitive judicial processes.

Adejumo said the responsibility of protecting the integrity of the justice system could no longer be viewed as the exclusive preserve of judicial officers, noting that court staff routinely handle official records, confidential communications, judicial schedules, protocol arrangements, public enquiries and other sensitive processes.

“Ultimately, the quality of our justice system depends as much on how these responsibilities are discharged as it does on the decisions delivered from the Bench,” he said.

The NJI administrator said the warning had become more urgent as the Judiciary operates in an environment of instant communication, technological advancement, increased public scrutiny and heightened demands for transparency.

He noted that information now travels with unprecedented speed, meaning that the conduct of an individual staff member could quickly become an institutional crisis and damage the reputation of the Judiciary.

According to him, the changing environment requires court personnel to combine professional competence with character, discretion, integrity and sound judgment.

“Every staff member, regardless of position or responsibility, contributes to the reputation of our institution,” Adejumo said, adding that professionalism, integrity, discretion and respect for court users were critical to strengthening public trust.

He said the workshop was designed to move ethics beyond theoretical discussions and deepen a culture of professionalism, discipline, accountability and mutual respect across the judicial administration.

The Administrator disclosed that the NJI had already organised workshops on judicial ethics for judicial officers of both the superior and lower courts this year, while a separate national workshop for judicial administrators was held in April.

He said the inclusion of court and other judicial staff in the Institute’s 2026 calendar reflected the vision of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the NJI Board of Governors, Hon. Justice K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun, GCON, FNJI, to promote excellence at every level of judicial administration.

Adejumo urged participants drawn from across the country to use the workshop to confront ethical challenges peculiar to their duties and develop practical solutions that could improve the administration of justice in their respective jurisdictions.

The workshop features general presentations as well as breakout sessions designed to enable participants to exchange experiences and examine challenges confronting ethical conduct within the judicial system.

The NJI administrator also commended the Chairman of the Education Committee of the Board of Governors, Hon. Justice John Inyang Okoro, CFR, JSC, other members of the committee, heads of courts, facilitators and session managers for their support.

He formally declared open the National Workshop on Judicial Ethics for Court and Other Judicial Staff, urging participants to translate the lessons from the engagement into improved professional conduct.

The workshop underscores a broader shift in judicial accountability, that public confidence in justice is shaped not only by judgments delivered in courtrooms, but also by the conduct of the officials who operate the system behind them.