The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has called on judges and judicial officers nationwide to prioritise the swift resolution of commercial disputes to support business growth.
Fagbemi made the appeal on Friday, November 28, at the opening of a conference organised by the Network of Justice Sector Reform Teams (NJSRT) 2025 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
He emphasised that resolving commercial disputes efficiently requires the entire justice system to work in harmony, including robust Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms to prevent every dispute from congesting courts.
Describing the conference theme, “Interoperability between Access to Justice and the Ease of Doing Business,” as “timely and critical,” Fagbemi said it aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on attracting investment, creating jobs, and fostering sustainable economic growth.
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He added, “It includes institutional assurances which we give to a small business owner in Lafia, a tech entrepreneur in Lagos, and an international investor in London, that their rights will be protected, their contracts will be enforced, and their disputes will be resolved fairly and expeditiously.
“For too long, our justice system has been perceived as a labyrinth—slow, complex, and inaccessible to the average citizen and business. This perception… increases the cost of business, stifles innovation, and deters the patient capital we desperately need.”
Fagbemi commended Nasarawa State for pioneering specialised justice, particularly through its Family Court system, which aligns with the state’s Child Rights Law.
He urged the NJSRT teams to set measurable goals, asking, “How can we reduce the average case lifecycle for commercial disputes? How can we mainstream ADR into our court processes? How can we leverage technology to provide legal information and support to SMEs?”