No more manual filing of cases in Lagos from April 24 — Federal High Court

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA– The Federal High Court has announced April 24 as the final date for the manual filing of new cases in its Lagos Division.

The court, in a statement that was issued by its Acting Chief Registrar, Yahaya Yakubu Shafa, on Monday, notified legal practitioners and litigants that after the slated date, “all new filings must be conducted exclusively through the e-filing platform.”

It stressed that lawyers are required to obtain their Legal Mail accounts before the “go-live date,” adding that the electronic filing (e-filing) platform will become operational with effect from April 27.

“Accordingly, the final date for the manual filing of new cases in the Lagos Division shall be 24th April, 2026.

“Thereafter, all new filings must be conducted exclusively through the e-filing platform.

“All matters instituted prior to the go-live date shall continue to be processed manually until judgment is delivered and such matters are finally disposed of.

“Legal Practitioners are hereby advised that any person who, whether deliberately or inadvertently, understates the amount claimed or inaccurately declares the number or nature of documents filed thereby resulting in an under-assessment of the prescribed filing fees shall be required to pay the outstanding balance in addition to a penalty of Ten Thousand Naira (₦10,000) per filing.

“To ensure a seamless transition, all Legal Practitioners are required to obtain their Legal Mail accounts prior to the go live date, as possession of a Legal Mail address is a mandatory prerequisite for access to the e-filing platform. Applications for Legal Mail accounts can be made via: https://nigerianbar.ng.

“All documents requiring oath administration must be processed through the e-Affidavit platform (https://affidavit.courts.gov.ng). Notwithstanding this, the deponent must physically appear before a Commissioner for Oaths for the administration of the oath.

“Furthermore, every Law Firm/Chambers shall be required to upload all relevant registration documents issued by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) when creating their profile on the e-filing platform.

“Instructional videos providing detailed guidance on the use of the e-filing system are available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@JITPO-Com. These materials will also be disseminated via designated Lawyers’ WhatsApp platforms.

“In addition, a two-day interactive training session on the e-filing system shall be held within the week of 20th to 24th April, 2026. The exact date, time, and venue shall be communicated in due course.

“All Legal Practitioners are hereby enjoined to be guided accordingly and to ensure strict compliance,” the statement further read.

The post No more manual filing of cases in Lagos from April 24 — Federal High Court appeared first on Vanguard News.