The Akwa Ibom State Judiciary has commenced the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in court proceedings as part of efforts to ensure faster and more efficient management of cases. The initiative began with the training for the pilot phase of the programme on Tuesday, March 2026, at the judiciary headquarters on Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo.
The flag-off ceremony, which held a day earlier, was attended by key stakeholders in the justice sector, including the State Chief Judge, Honourable Justice Ekaete F. Fabian-Obot; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom SAN; a representative of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Abuja; the Chief Registrar, Affiong Usimka Esq.; judges and magistrates, as well as the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Uyo Branch, Barrister Ime Umofia.
In her opening address, Justice Fabian-Obot expressed appreciation to the trainers for their willingness to share knowledge. She also acknowledged the role of the press in promoting transparency, public understanding and confidence in the justice system. Emphasizing the need to embrace modern technology in the administration of justice, she noted that the popular maxim “justice delayed is justice denied” underscores the importance of adopting innovations that can enhance the speed and efficiency of court processes.
The Chief Judge explained that when responsibly deployed, artificial intelligence can provide valuable tools for legal research, case management and court administration. According to her, the 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.
However, she cautioned that the introduction of technology does not replace judicial reasoning or discretion. She stressed 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, Barrister 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 during two days of live court sittings. During this period, the Lextech Capture team will handle matters listed on the court’s cause list, capturing ten cases each day. The proceedings will be processed through an AI-assisted workflow to produce verbatim transcripts, which will be delivered to the court within 24 hours.
Akwa Ibom State is among only six states selected across Nigeria for the pilot programme by the National Judicial Institute, which was represented at the event by Chrystine Edwards. The NJI, established under the NJI Act of 1991, is responsible for organizing training programmes aimed at improving the capacity and productivity of judicial officers and staff across the country.
