Lagos: The Federal High Court of Nigeria has announced that the manual filing of new cases in the Lagos Judicial Division will cease on June 20, as an electronic filing platform will be introduced on June 23.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Chief Registrar, Mr. Sulaiman Hassan, stated that cases initiated before the operational date of the e-filing system will continue to be processed manually until judgment is rendered. Lawyers failing to accurately declare case amounts or document types, resulting in fee under-assessment, will incur a penalty. The penalty includes paying the balance due and an additional fine of ten thousand naira (N10,000) per filing.

Hassan emphasized the importance of a smooth transition to the new system and mandated that all legal practitioners acquire their legal mail accounts before the e-filing platform goes live. Possession of a legal mail address is a prerequisite for accessing the platform.

Lawyers are directed to visit https://nigerianbar.ng to apply for their Legal Mail. Documents requiring an oath must be submitted via the e-affidavit platform (https://affidavit.courts.gov.ng), with the deponent appearing before the commissioner for oaths for administration.

Additionally, each law chamber must upload all relevant documents related to its registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) while creating its profile on the e-filing platform.

The chief registrar also announced a two-day interactive session on the e-filing system to provide further guidance and ensure a seamless transition.