The Judiciary in Nigeria: Can It Contribute to Good Governance?
The Judiciary in Nigeria: Can It Contribute to Good Governance?

Summary/Abstract: The judiciary is central in a country’s governance system, whether in democracies or non-democratic countries. This study examines the degree to which the judiciary restrains the excesses of the executive and legislature, analyzes its contribution to upholding the rule of law, human rights, and democratic principles, and highlights the challenges faced by the Nigerian judiciary in carrying out these constitutional responsibilities. This paper relies heavily on secondary data, which were subjected to content analysis. The findings reveal that the Nigerian judiciary’s efforts in checking the executive and legislature’s excesses and preserving the rule of law, human rights and democratic principles have been inadequate and unsatisfactory. This study identifies challenges such as lack of judicial independence, political interference, judicial corruption, underfunding, delays in case adjudication, and institutional weaknesses, which hinder the Nigerian judiciary in performing its constitutional duties. This study concludes that while the Nigerian judiciary has contributed to good governance to some extent, its full impact will not be realized until comprehensive reforms are implemented to enhance a judiciary that is both independent and incorruptible.

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