Justice in the Digital Age: Leveraging Technology for an Efficient and Accessible Judiciary

The Nigerian judiciary continues to face persistent challenges of delay, case backlogs, limited access to justice, inadequate infrastructure, and uneven adoption of digital technologies, undermining public confidence in the administration of justice. This paper examines how emerging digital technologies can enhance judicial efficiency and accessibility while evaluating the adequacy of Nigeria's legal and institutional framework for supporting digital justice. Using a doctrinal legal research methodology complemented by qualitative desk analysis of statutes, judicial decisions, court rules, policy documents, and relevant scholarly literature, the study analyses key technologies including electronic filing, virtual court proceedings, digital recording and transcription, court case management systems, judicial websites and portals, online dispute resolution, and artificial intelligence. It further evaluates the constitutional, statutory, and policy frameworks governing digital justice, including the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Evidence Act, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the Nigeria Data Protection Act, the Cybercrimes Act, and relevant judicial policies. The study finds that although Nigeria has established a significant legal foundation for judicial digitalisation, implementation remains constrained by infrastructural deficits, cybersecurity concerns, funding limitations, and inadequate digital capacity. The paper concludes by proposing a coherent legal and policy framework for achieving an efficient, inclusive, and technologically responsive judiciary in Nigeria.