Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, has endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s proposal to increase the salaries and allowances of judicial office holders by 300 percent.
This support was echoed by the National Judicial Council (NJC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC) during a public hearing organized by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters.
Fagbemi highlighted that the bill aims to address the stagnation in judicial salaries, which have not been increased for over 16 years.
He emphasized that the proposed salary hike is crucial for maintaining judicial independence and integrity. He also mentioned plans to establish a Working Group for a comprehensive review of the judicial system to better meet the justice needs of Nigerians.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Prescribe the Salaries and Allowances and Fringe Benefit of Judicial Office Holders in Nigeria and Related Matters, 2024,” was discussed in a session chaired by Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno. Fagbemi urged the Senate to support and pass the bill, emphasizing its importance for the rule of law and judicial reform.
