Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), have been scheduled to attend the Nigerian Weekly Law Report (NWLR) 40th anniversary, which is being held on October 9, 2025, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

While Fashola will deliver a lecture, Justice Kekere-Ekun is to chair the event.

Chairman of the Planning Committee, Oluwole Kehinde, while speaking with journalists yesterday, said the theme of the anniversary, “Safeguarding the Legacy of Law Reporting and Embracing the Future in Technology,” underscored the dual focus of preserving the rich heritage of law reporting while embracing digital innovations that shape modern legal practice.

He said: “The Nigerian Law Report, first published on October 1, 1985, holds the distinction of being the first dedicated law report in Nigeria and across Africa. Since its maiden edition, released on Nigeria’s 25th Independence Day, the publication has provided weekly compilations of court decisions, thereby making the law accessible to judges, lawyers, researchers, and students.

“The celebration is not only about looking back at the achievements of the past but also about projecting into the future. Forty years of uninterrupted publication is a rare feat in Africa’s publishing and judicial history.”

The Nigerian Weekly Law Report has become an indispensable tool for justice delivery, and today, we celebrate both its legacy and its promise.”

Chairman of the Editorial Board, Ayo Olanrewaju, who spoke about the event, described the NWLR as “the conscience of legal reporting in Nigeria,” noting that it has consistently maintained editorial independence and a rigorous standard of accuracy.

Also, Managing Director of the Nigerian Law Publications Limited, Mojeed Ajao, who highlighted the innovations the publication had embraced over the years, recalled that in 2019, the NLWR launched its online platform, making thousands of judgments available digitally.

Other notable attendees include members of the editorial board, such as Yinka Olatunji (Senior Editor), Motivation Olatunji (Secretary) and the Acting Managing Director, Gbenga Ogunleye.

They emphasised the availability of the law reports, which they said is central to safeguarding the rule of law.

Ogunleye, however, praised the NWLR for “democratising access to judicial precedents” and called for further innovations, including Artificial Intelligence-driven search tools and wider open-access platforms.