Lagos to establish special court on commercial disputes

The chief judge made this known while speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ forum on Fast Track Rules and Procedure by the state judiciary in conjunction with Justice for All, a project of the British Council and Human Development Initiatives (DHI) in Lagos.  According to Justice Phillips, the commercial court would  adjudicate over matters relating to […]

The chief judge made this known while speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ forum on Fast Track Rules and Procedure by the state judiciary in conjunction with Justice for All, a project of the British Council and Human Development Initiatives (DHI) in Lagos.  
According to Justice Phillips, the commercial court would  adjudicate over matters relating to revenues, mortgages and other commercial cases. She said the peculiarity of Lagos State as the hub of the nation’s economy has made a commercial court more imperative in the state and in reality with development around the world.
The chief judge further said that the court would be located at Tapa area of Lagos Island , adding that the architect has completed the design while the take off is now awaiting the go-ahead of the governor of the state.
She added that the main objective of the fast track court was to reduce the time spent on litigation to a period not exceeding nine months from the commencement of the action till final judgment.
“This fast-track court is what the socio-economic climate of Nigeria requires now as the world is fast moving towards arbitration in dispute resolution. Nigeria cannot sit on the fence and be watching all these developments around her. We have to be part of the development around the world,” the chief judge said.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, emphasised the need to have speedy dispensation of commercial disputes because that can only engender economic development.
“Investors are looking for a justice system that works. They are looking for where they can confidently invest with the expectation that when there are disputes, those disputes can be speedily addressed,” Ipaye said.
While also contributing, Manager, Justice for All, Dr Bob Arnot, said the relationship between justice and economic development cannot be over emphasised.
Arnot who was represented by Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), said this was the reason the British Council was supporting the initiative.