Federal High Court Lagos Mandates E-Filing for New Cases

The Federal High Court Lagos Division has announced that, starting April 27, 2026, all new case filings must be submitted electronically. This transition aims to modernize the court's operations and improve efficiency. Manual filings will cease on April 24, 2026, and cases filed before this date will continue under the manual system until their conclusion.

Implementation Details

To access the e-filing platform, legal practitioners are required to obtain a Legal Mail account. Additionally, law firms must upload their Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration documents. Oath-related documents will be processed through the e-Affidavit portal; however, deponents are still required to appear before a Commissioner for Oaths.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

The court has stipulated that any understatement of claims or misrepresentation of documents will attract a penalty of ₦10,000 per filing, in addition to any outstanding fees. This measure is intended to ensure accuracy and integrity in the filing process.

Legal Community's Response

The legal community has expressed mixed reactions to this development. While some practitioners welcome the move towards digitalization, others have raised concerns about the readiness of the infrastructure and the potential challenges in adapting to the new system.

Conclusion

This mandatory e-filing initiative represents a significant step towards the modernization of Nigeria's judicial system. It is expected to streamline case management, reduce delays, and enhance transparency in legal proceedings.