Technology experts and stakeholders in Nigeria’s justice delivery sector have called on players in the space to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven solutions for quick justice delivery, reduced number of awaiting trial inmates, and seamless case management.

Chief Executive Officer of Devon Technology, Peter Emmanuel, said that despite advancements in artificial intelligence and automatic speech recognition, the justice system in Nigeria, especially judges across courtrooms, still rely on handwritten notes.

He stated this at the Justice, Innovative Technology (JIT) Summit 2025 themed ‘Transforming the Future of Nigeria’s Judiciary with AI’, and the introduction of JUDIC AI, a pioneering artificial intelligence-powered solution for Nigeria’s justice system organized by Devon Tech in partnership with the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), yesterday in Abuja.

Emmanuel said that for DevonTech, “We aim to redefine justice delivery in Nigeria.

“We are committed to driving digital transformation in the legal sector.”
He highlighted the inefficiencies such as the physical transportation of inmates to court for case hearings due to the slow pace of the justice system, noting that the AI solution could end this challenge.

Chief Executive Officer of PPDC, Lucy James Abagi, outlined her organisation’s efforts to address systemic inefficiencies, particularly in pre-trial detention.
She said that PPDC’s technology-driven solutions, including JUDIC AI and Docket Master, have reduced case dockets by 50 per cent in five states, accelerating trials and improving outcomes for over 2,500 pre-trial detainees.

“Our digital filing systems, electronic courtrooms, and remote hearings are laying the foundation for a modern, efficient judiciary,” Abagi stated.
On his part, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi AFAM Osigwe, has expressed dismay over the judiciary’s persistent reliance on outdated manual recording methods, despite the availability of modern technology.

He decried the slow pace of digital adoption in Nigeria’s courtrooms, pointing out that many courts continue to record proceedings in longhand, even when donor organizations provide recording devices.

“In this age of speech-to-text software, it’s surprising and disappointing that some courts insist on manual methods.

“Some judges even switch off electronic devices, fearing their words being recorded,” he said.

Osigwe argued that this resistance to technology contributes to significant delays in the judicial process.

“Matters that should take weeks end up taking years,” and that prolonged delays in obtaining court records and judgements often fail to meet the constitutional seven-day delivery deadline.

He insisted that such inefficiencies erode public confidence in the judiciary, with severe consequences for the wrongly convicted.

“Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said, citing cases where innocent individuals serve full sentences before their appeals are heard.

The president lamented the absence of immediate access to judgements on court websites and the appointment of judges lacking computer literacy, which he argued is not adequately addressed by constitutional requirements.

He also raised concerns about the quality of judicial outputs, noting frequent typos and incomplete reasoning in judgements.

“Commercial disputes are increasingly being resolved outside Nigeria because of waning confidence in our judicial system,” he added.

According to him, urgent reforms are needed, particularly at the Supreme Court, which he described as one of the most overburdened in the world.

He suggested that administrative tasks, such as filing motions for time extensions, could be handled electronically to ease the court’s workload.