President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the Nigerian Senate to amend existing legislation to allow for an increase in the number of judges at the Federal High Court from the current 70 to 90.
The proposal was submitted through a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and was presented to lawmakers during Tuesday’s plenary session.
President Tinubu highlighted that the Federal High Court Act of 2004 originally capped the number of justices at 50, before a 2005 amendment raised the limit to 70. He noted that the figure has remained unchanged despite the growing responsibilities of the court.
He pointed out that the Federal High Court now plays a central role in handling cases involving terrorism, cross-border criminal networks and other offences closely linked to national security.
According to the president, expanding the bench would help reduce pressure on judges, improve efficiency in case management and enhance the overall standard of judicial outcomes.
Tinubu also said the increase would support deeper judicial expertise in specialised and technically demanding areas, including financial and economic crimes, tax matters, intellectual property disputes and maritime law.
The amendment proposal, titled the Federal High Court Amendment Bill 2025, was formally laid before the Senate, with the president urging swift legislative action.
Senate President Akpabio subsequently referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules of Business for further consideration.
