FEDERAL HIGH COURT TO COMMENCE E-FILING SYSTEM IN LAGOS FROM APRIL 27

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By:Tajudeen Aminat

The Federal High Court of Nigeria has announced that its electronic filing (e-filing) system will begin operations in the Lagos Judicial Division on April 27, 2026.

The court stated that April 24, 2026, has been fixed as the deadline for the manual filing of new cases in the Lagos Division. After this date, all new matters must be filed strictly through the e-filing platform.

It further explained that cases already filed before the commencement date will continue to be processed manually until they are fully concluded and judgments delivered.

The Acting Chief Registrar, Yahaya Yakubu Shafa, in a statement, cautioned legal practitioners against under-declaring claims or misrepresenting filed documents in a bid to reduce filing fees.

He stated that any legal practitioner who intentionally or unintentionally understates the amount claimed or misrepresents the number or nature of documents filed, resulting in under-assessment of filing fees, will be required to pay the outstanding balance as well as a penalty of N10,000 per filing.

To ensure a smooth transition to the new system, the court directed all legal practitioners to obtain Legal Mail accounts before the commencement date, noting that such accounts are compulsory for access to the e-filing platform.

Applications for Legal Mail accounts, it said, can be made via https://nigerianbar.ng.

The court further explained that all documents requiring oath-taking must be processed through the e-Affidavit platform, although deponents must still appear physically before a Commissioner for Oaths.

It also instructed law firms and chambers to upload their relevant Corporate Affairs Commission registration documents when creating profiles on the platform.

Instructional materials, including tutorial videos on how to use the e-filing system, have been made available online to assist users.

The court also urged all legal practitioners to fully comply with the new system in order to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.