The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Judicial Institute (NJI) have recommended designating specialised judges and court staff to handle corruption and other financial crime cases as part of efforts to reduce delays in Nigeria’s justice system.
The recommendations were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the eighth Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges, held in Abuja from 13 to 15 October 2026.
According to THISDAY, the workshop brought together judicial officers, investigators and prosecutors to examine challenges associated with investigating and prosecuting economic and financial crimes in the digital age.
Participants called for legal and procedural improvements, better management of digital evidence, and greater cooperation among institutions involved in criminal justice.
The recommendations have not introduced new laws or resulted in the appointment of specialist judges.
Specialised judges proposed to reduce delays
One of the workshop’s central recommendations was the designation of judges and court personnel with specialist knowledge of corruption and financial crime cases.
Participants argued that assigning appropriately trained judicial officers to such matters could improve consistency in the application of existing laws and help reduce avoidable delays.
They also recommended reviewing relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act where necessary.
However, the communiqué stressed that efforts to accelerate trials must remain consistent with the protection of individual rights.
The proposals do not establish new courts or automatically change how existing corruption cases are assigned.
Any legislative amendments would require the appropriate lawmaking process, while changes to court administration would depend on decisions by the relevant judicial authorities.
Stronger safeguards for digital evidence and confessions
The workshop also called for improved investigative standards and stronger procedures for collecting, preserving, and presenting digital evidence.
As financial transactions increasingly involve electronic records, investigators and prosecutors must be able to demonstrate that evidence is reliable and admissible in court.
According to The Guardian Nigeria, participants recommended better digital evidence management and safeguards surrounding the taking of confessional statements.
They urged investigative agencies to make greater use of video recording and other appropriate procedures when obtaining confessions.
Such measures are intended to protect suspects against improper treatment while helping courts assess the circumstances in which statements were made.
A recorded confession would still have to satisfy the applicable legal requirements before it could be admitted as evidence.
The workshop’s recommendations therefore seek to improve both the quality of investigations and the fairness of criminal proceedings.
Asset recovery must follow legal safeguards
Participants also examined non-conviction-based asset forfeiture, a legal process that may allow the recovery of assets under applicable law without first securing a criminal conviction.
The communiqué described the approach as a useful tool in recovering suspected proceeds of crime.
However, it emphasised that such proceedings must comply with existing legislation, human rights standards, and effective institutional oversight.
The workshop also recommended considering procedural changes concerning the period for which suspected proceeds of financial crimes may be frozen.
These proposals do not authorise automatic confiscation of property.
Any recovery or freezing measure must be pursued through the relevant legal procedures, including applicable judicial safeguards and opportunities for affected parties to challenge the action.
Artificial intelligence and virtual assets raise new challenges.
The workshop called for governance protocols and policy guidelines to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in the administration of justice.
Participants urged anti-corruption agencies, relevant government institutions, the National Assembly, and the judiciary to cooperate on developing an appropriate framework.
The discussions also addressed virtual assets, including the legal and technical challenges associated with investigating financial transactions involving digital currencies.
According to ARISE News, the workshop examined digital forensics, virtual-asset recovery and the role of artificial intelligence in financial crime investigations.
Participants called for greater investment in forensic laboratories, technology infrastructure, and specialist training.
They also encouraged investigators to use open-source intelligence responsibly.
Information obtained from publicly accessible websites, social media, and other open sources may provide useful investigative leads. However, material intended for use in court must still meet the applicable rules of evidence.
Judicial training and cooperation recommended
The workshop recommended that the NJI work with the National Judicial Council to develop accredited certificate and diploma programmes for judges and other relevant professionals.
The proposed courses would strengthen knowledge of economic and financial crimes, digital evidence, and emerging investigative methods.
Participants also urged heads of courts to develop clearer practices for handling technical issues raised during the workshop.
They called for stronger cooperation and information-sharing among investigators, prosecutors, judicial officers, and other institutions involved in criminal justice.
The three-day programme included discussions on delays caused by the misuse of court procedures, confessional evidence, asset forfeiture, and the growing complexity of technology-related financial crimes.
An implementation timetable has not yet been announced.
The recommendations reflect concerns about the time required to investigate and conclude corruption cases, particularly those involving complex financial transactions and electronic evidence.
However, the communiqué does not establish a timetable for implementing the proposed reforms.
It also does not mean that the judiciary has appointed specialised judges, that Parliament has amended the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, or that new rules governing artificial intelligence have taken effect.
The next steps will depend on decisions by the relevant legislative, judicial, and law enforcement institutions.
For now, the workshop has outlined proposed improvements aimed at making financial crime trials more efficient while maintaining the legal protections available to defendants.
