𝐇ow many times will 𝐋agos judiciary “launch” 𝐄-filing of court processes? 𝐖ill they ever “fully” start, in reality?

By Sylvester Udemezue

1. 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐟 𝐄-𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: “E-filing is a feature in Lagos State High Court Judiciary Information System (JIS). Through the E-filing, we can file a case from anywhere in the world using internet. Users are required to have login credentials in order to file a case online.The system will calculate Fee associated with a case automatically. The total Court Fee includes Court Fee prescribed in the Court Rules. The total Court Fee is payable online through Debit/Credit Card only. Other means of payment includes; Bank Payment (require payment to designated banks) and Manual/Cash Payment (require walk-in to the Judiciary).” (lagosjudiciary.gov.ng)
2. October 01, 2013: “Lagos goes on-line”. “With the launch of the JIS, the state has stepped into the 21st century and can rub shoulders with others.” (The Nation Newspaper)
3. . “Beginning October 2nd 2013 , all processes are filed electronically in Lagos State by the way of electronic filing (eFiling) using Judiciary Information System” (lagosjudiciary.gov.ng)
4. 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟑: “Lawyers can file cases with new Lagos IT initiative” (Vanguard)
5. 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟑: “Lagos judiciary and the introduction of e-filing”; “Lagos is blazing the trail as an ICT compliance state by introducing e-filing…. According to Osibajo the introducing of e-filing is a very bold initiative of the Lagos State judiciary. He described it as appropriate and very timely. He said notwithstanding the teething challenges which will be surmountable, he is much concerned about implementation. (Daily Trust)
6. October 02, 2013: JIS and e-Filing was commissioned on the 2nd day of October 2013 by Honourable Justice Adeyoola Ayotunde Philips. (lagosjudiciary.gov.ng)
7. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟑, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟒: Mixed reactions trail electronic filing of cases in 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐬 (BusinessDay)
8. 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟕: “Lagos lawyers decry slow filing processes at courts” – ‘The lawyers noted that instead of speeding up the processes, the procedure had brought “frustrations” in filing cases and getting the cases assigned to the courts.’ (tribuneonlineng).
9. 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎: “Lagos Judiciary upgrades Electronic Filing System” — “The Lagos State Judiciary has upgraded ts Electronic Filing System (EFS) by introducing E-Payment for faster filing” (thenationonlineng.net).
10. 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟎𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐: “…the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, has announced September 1, 2022 as the take-off date of the new e-filing system that will remove the need for physical presence at the court registry.”(Punchng)
11. 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐: “Lagos Judiciary begins e-swearing for e-filing of processes” (ThisDaylive) .
12. 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐: LAGOS STATE JUDICIARY BEGINS E-FILING PROCESSES. (Lawbreed Blog)
13. 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑: “Lagos Judiciary Goes Digital With Cinfores CoMiS”- “As part of efforts to digitalise filing processes, the Lagos State judiciary has deployed Cinfores Court Management Information System, (CoMiS) to automate its filing processes.” “Approximately 49 court personnel, including registrars, magistrates, and bailiffs, were physically trained on the usage of the LagosCoMiS, while lawyers were provided with videos showing step-by-step processes of e-filing using the platform.” (Lawyard)
14. 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑: “Lagos judiciary automates court filing system”. (Punchng)
15. 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 27,𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: “Lagos Judiciary Goes Fully Digital With E-Affidavits and E-Filing” (27 JANUARY 2025 Thisdaylive)
16. 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎: “…years ago, the Lagos judiciary claimed it had started E-Filing of cases. “E-Filing” means from your office, you send the processes, pay filing and service fees, and get your suit number assigned to your case the same day. If you or your secretary has to be physically present in the court premises for any aspect of the filing, even if it’s payment of fees, then that is not E-FILING. One can therefore safely say that, there is no court in Nigeria that does e-filing, as of today. The Lagos State judiciary is very far from E-FILING properly so called. Quote me! In the Lagos State judiciary, there is what they call “temporary suit number” and “permanent suit number.” Why would that duplication be? Why can’t you assign a permanent suit number to a suit as soon as it is filed? Why would I have to wait for two three weeks to get a permanent suit number? And thereafter wait for another one to three weeks to get the case assigned you a judge/court; and another one or two weeks to get the papers served (sorry for you in the hands of a bailiff); and then a 42-day period (in Lagos) for the defendant to react? Most times, the defendants comes out of time with loads of reasons. Before the new filing system (so-called “E-System”) was introduced in Lagos, Lawyers used to file their cases and get suit numbers assigned instantly — same day. The new system, that was purportedly brought in to “accelerate “ justice” has in reality dragged administration of justice far backwards, leaving us far worse than it had met us.” See: “How Leaders of Nigeria’s Judiciary Dissipate Valuable Time on Irrelevancies to the Detriment of Effective, Efficient Administration of Justice (part 1)” By Sylvester Udemezue
17. 𝐋𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄: “WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS NOT E-FILING. WHAT WE HAVE IS AN E-DELAY”. By Olajide Abiodun, Esq. (thebarandbenchnews.com.ng; 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐:)
18. 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍: The REALITY is that, E-FILING or E-SERVICE of Court Processes is not yet working in Lagos State or anywhere in Nigeria. In respect of the case of Lagos, it’s respectfully submitted that there is yet NO full e-filing at the Lagos State High Court or Magistrates’ Court. If anything, the several unsuccessful attempts to introduce e-filing in the Lagos State have only worsened the process of filing of court processes in Lagos state High Court, making it the slowest and the most ineffective in Nigeria. Please listen to what a lawyer in Lagos has had to say about so-called e-filing in Lagos:https://youtu.be/5ckoSTq58BE?si=Ye1VGcWApSa45WFz.
19. While I pray that full e-FILING of Court processes should start in Lagos (it needs proper, pragmatic planning), the reality is, it hasn’t started. The Lagos State judiciary is hereby advised to hire the services of Mr A. G. ABUBAKAR, the immediate past Registrar-General of Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), to help Lagos to start “full e-filing” in Lagos State. Truth is, any filing procedure that requires you to physically still come into the court registry for the purpose of completing any aspect of the filing, is not an e-filing procedure.
    Respectfully,
    Sylvester Udemezue (Udems)
    Proctor,
    The Reality Ministry of Truth, Law and Justice (TRM)
    TheRealityMinister@Gmail.Com.
    (05 February 2025)