Former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has advocated for a transformative, people-centred approach to justice reform in Nigeria, emphasizing that the legal system must be repositioned to better serve ordinary citizens.
Speaking at a panel session during the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, he stressed that a citizen-focused framework is vital for strengthening national governance and safeguarding public welfare.
Represented at the event by Prof. Ade Ipaye, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Osinbajo stated that meaningful reforms must be anchored on reliable data, strategic prioritisation, and local ownership.
He noted that systematic data collection regarding case resolution outcomes and everyday justice needs is essential, as metrics dictate where institutional attention and funding are directed.
The former Vice President underscored the importance of tackling high-impact areas immediately, such as pre-trial detention challenges, small claims processing, enhanced first-response mechanisms, and expanding legal assistance.
According to him, securing early and visible successes in these critical sectors will help rebuild public confidence and lay a solid foundation for addressing more complex structural reforms.
Osinbajo further argued that sustainable progress requires reforms to be fully domesticated, embraced by state governments, and deeply embedded within local institutions rather than treated as top-down government mandates.
He charged the legal profession and the NBA to champion this evolution by driving policy development, elevating professional standards, and championing continuous training in mediation, legal technology, and community justice.
Highlighting the urgency of bridging the access-to-gap divide, Osinbajo called for robust pro bono legal services to protect indigent citizens who cannot otherwise afford representation, noting that Nigeria’s vast legal community has the capacity to build a massive national legal aid framework.
He urged contemporary legal practitioners to emulate the historical advocacy of past generations who fought for independence and democratic rule, ensuring the law remains a protective public good for all.
Concluding his address, Osinbajo remarked that the debate has moved past whether reforms are necessary to whether stakeholders are ready to redesign the legal architecture from the perspective of its end-users.
Describing justice as “a living public good,” he maintained that shifting from system convenience to citizen need serves the collective interest of the nation and secures greater protection for every Nigerian.
