.……..Ogun State Hosts 13th Bar and Bench Forum on AI, E-Affidavits, and Virtual Hearings.
FIC Report (Ogun State) – Ogun State has reaffirmed its commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s national judiciary reform agenda with the unveiling of new digital reforms designed to make justice delivery faster, more transparent, and more accessible to citizens.
The announcement was made during the 13th Ogun State Bar and Bench Forum public lecture held at the Ceremonial Court, Judiciary Complex, Kobape, Abeokuta. The lecture, themed _“Digitalized Judiciary: AI, E-Affidavits, and Virtual Hearing – Prospects and Challenges”_, brought together judges, lawyers, and justice sector stakeholders to chart the path for a technology-driven judiciary.
Declaring the event open, the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Hon. Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, said the state’s digitalization drive directly mirrors President Tinubu’s 7-point agenda for judicial reform, which prioritizes efficiency, accountability, and independence in the justice system.
“One of the key pillars of this administration’s agenda is a digitalized judiciary,” Justice Dipeolu stated. “In Ogun, we have moved beyond policy to implementation. Our goal is a justice system that is accountable, efficient, and built on integrity, while upholding judicial independence and partnership with stakeholders.”
She noted that Ogun was among the first states in Nigeria to conduct virtual court proceedings during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. That innovation has since been institutionalized through the High Court Rules Amendment 2024 and the Practice Direction 2026, which now extend digital hearings to Magistrate Courts.
The Chief Judge highlighted concrete progress under the reforms:
– *E-Affidavits System*: Launched on 26th February 2026, the platform has processed over 31,000 affidavits for 4,500 users, including lawyers and members of the public.
– *Statewide Access*: 25 E-Agents have been deployed across Ogun State to bring the service closer to citizens.
– *Virtual Hearings*: Now standard practice in both High Courts and Magistrate Courts, reducing delays and improving access.
Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Justice Kashim Zannah, warned that a judiciary that fails to embrace technology risks losing public trust.
“If the last hope of the common man does not embrace technology, it will be disastrous for society,” he said. He called for regular amendments to court rules every two years, mandatory digital literacy training for lawyers and judges, and stronger awareness of social media manipulation of evidence.
In a goodwill messages, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwasina Ogungbade SAN, said technology in justice administration requires not just discussion but decisive action.
“Ogun State is in the pilot phase of the E-Affidavits programme. We have faced teething problems, but we are progressively overcoming them. I am confident this lecture will produce the robust discourse needed to accelerate the modernization of justice in Ogun State and Nigeria,” he said.
Chairman of the NBA Ikeja Branch, Mr. Adeniyi Quadri, also commended the forum for strengthening Bar-Bench synergy and creating a platform for innovation and progressive reform.
The Ogun State Bar and Bench Forum said the initiative reflects President Tinubu’s vision of a judiciary that leverages technology to reduce case backlogs, enhance transparency, and restore public confidence in the rule of law.
Shittu Hammed O
INFOR/PRO
ACIO
FIC, Abeokuta
18/05/2026
