Dare Babalola
The Akwa Ibom State Judiciary has initiated the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into court proceedings, aiming to enhance the speed and efficiency of case management.
The pilot phase of the programme was launched with a training session held at the judiciary headquarters on Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo, on Tuesday, marking the commencement of the initiative.
The flag-off ceremony for the initiative was held on Monday and brought together prominent figures in the justice sector. Key attendees included the State Chief Judge, Justice Ekaete F. Fabian-Obot; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom SAN; and the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Uyo Branch, Ime Umofia.
Other notable attendees comprised a representative of the National Judicial Institute Abuja, the Chief Registrar, Affiong Usimka, as well as several judges and magistrates.
In her opening address, the Chief Judge, Justice Fabian-Obot, extended her appreciation to the trainers for their willingness to impart knowledge, whilst acknowledging the pivotal role of the press in fostering transparency, enhancing public understanding, and bolstering confidence in the justice system.
The CJ emphasised the imperative of embracing modern technology in the administration of justice, noting that the adage “justice delayed is justice denied” underscores the importance of adopting innovations that can enhance the speed and efficiency of court processes.
She explained that when responsibly deployed, artificial intelligence can ”provide valuable tools for legal research, case management and court administration”
”Technology will significantly reduce the burden of longhand writing traditionally associated with court proceedings and help mitigate the health challenges often faced by judges due to prolonged writing,” she added
However, she cautioned that the introduction of technology does not replace judicial reasoning or discretion, stressing that sound judgment remains a human responsibility guided by conscience, legal precedent and the Constitution.
Justice Fabian-Obot added that the training provides an opportunity for participants to explore both the possibilities and ethical boundaries of artificial intelligence in the courts, ensuring that technological innovation remains consistent with judicial independence, due process and accountability.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of LexScript AI, Emeka Albert, thanked the National Judicial Institute for its leadership in promoting innovation within Nigeria’s justice sector.
He explained that the week-long training sessions would involve technical teams conducting assessments of designated courtrooms and installing the audio capture and transcription equipment required for the demonstration phase.
Albert further disclosed that during the next stage of the exercise, the system will be deployed in live court sittings, adding that during the period, the Lextech Capture team will handle matters listed on the court’s cause list, capturing ten cases each day.
The proceedings, according to him, will be processed through an AI-assisted workflow to produce verbatim transcripts, which will be delivered to the court within 24 hours.
Representative of the NJI, Chrystine Edwards, said Akwa Ibom State is among the six states selected across Nigeria for the pilot programme by the National Judicial Institute
The NJI, established under the NJI Act of 1991, is responsible for organising training programmes aimed at improving the capacity and productivity of judicial officers and staff across the country.
AI is the application of computer systems able to perform tasks or produce output normally requiring human intelligence, especially by applying machine learning techniques to large collections of data.
