The Nigerian Bar Association has firmly rejected a Senate proposal seeking to increase the number of Supreme Court justices from 21 to 30, arguing that the move would not solve the court’s underlying structural issues.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West), aims to tackle the rising backlog of cases by allowing the court to create more panels for faster adjudication.

“If we have 30 justices, it allows the formation of at least five panels simultaneously,” Izunaso said. “That way, more cases can be handled at a faster pace. Some litigants are being given hearing dates as far ahead as 2027 and 2028.”

But NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), dismissed the plan, saying the real solution lies in constitutional reform, not simply expanding the bench.

“The justice delivery system at the Supreme Court has not been as effective and efficient as it should be,” Osigwe said in an interview with Sunday Punch. “Even with a full complement of 21 justices, the workload has not reduced.”

He argued that only cases of constitutional importance or those resolving conflicts in lower courts should reach the apex court.

“We must amend the Constitution to ensure that only cases of constitutional importance or where the Supreme Court needs to state the law get to the Supreme Court,” Osigwe stated.

He added that boosting operational efficiency and adopting better case management technology would be more impactful than adding more justices.

“Increasing the number to 30 or even 50 would not resolve the inefficiencies,” he warned.