On Thursday, the Nigerian Senate moved to modernize the country’s civil justice framework, approving for second reading a bill to amend the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, a colonial-era law dating back to 1945.
The proposed legislation, SB. 432, sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule (Lagos West), seeks to bring the administration of civil justice in line with the realities of the digital age and strengthen enforcement of court judgments.
Senator Adebule explained that the current law, largely unchanged for nearly eight decades, remains outdated and disconnected from today’s judicial and technological environment.
It still mandates manual service of court processes and requires judgment creditors to obtain the Attorney-General’s consent before enforcing orders against public institutions—a provision she described as a colonial relic that impedes justice and frustrates citizens.
The amendment bill aims to grant statutory legitimacy to digital processes, streamline enforcement procedures, update administrative fines, and clarify sheriffs’ duties, ensuring accountability in the execution of court orders.
It would also abolish the Attorney-General’s mandatory consent for enforcing judgments against government agencies, making the process more transparent and efficient.
Backing the bill, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan (Borno Central) called it a “bold and necessary reform,” while Senator Adeniyi Ayodele, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, emphasized that the changes would remove outdated legal barriers and restore public confidence in the justice system. Senator Mohammed Bashir Munguno (Borno South) described the bill as “apt and germane,” noting the importance of laws evolving with social, technological, and economic changes.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, said the bill was unanimously approved for second reading and referred it to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further scrutiny, with a report expected within four weeks. He commended Adebule for her “well-researched and forward-looking intervention” and urged the committee to ensure that Nigeria’s justice system reflects 21st-century realities.
The passage of the bill at second reading marks a milestone in the Senate’s effort to modernize Nigeria’s legal framework, enhance citizens’ access to justice, and strengthen the rule of law in the digital era.