The Plateau State Judiciary has increased the monetary jurisdiction of its district courts handling small claims to ₦5 million as part of reforms aimed at accelerating debt recovery, reducing delays in commercial disputes and improving access to justice for businesses and other court users.
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The Chief Judge of Plateau State, Justice David Mann, announced the development on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, during the opening of a two-day capacity-building workshop for judicial officers and court personnel in Jos.
Mann said the expanded jurisdiction, approved pursuant to Section 17 of the District Courts Law, was intended to strengthen the administration of justice and provide an accessible, affordable and speedy mechanism for resolving commercial disputes, particularly those involving small businesses.
He urged district court judges to fully implement the new monetary limit and ensure that eligible disputes were resolved promptly without compromising fairness or the integrity of judicial proceedings.
The workshop was organised under the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER), a $750 million World Bank-funded, results-based programme designed to improve the business environment across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The programme is implemented through a partnership involving the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Secretariat, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
Addressing participants, the Chief Judge emphasised the relationship between an efficient judicial system and economic development, noting that businesses and investors require confidence in the enforcement of contractual obligations and the timely resolution of disputes.
“The strength of a state’s economy is closely tied to the efficiency of its courts. Commercial activities thrive only when economic actors are confident that contracts will be honoured, disputes resolved with dispatch, and judgements enforced without undue delay,” he said.
Mann stressed that the administration of justice must extend beyond delivering judgments to ensuring their effective enforcement, warning that judicial decisions which remain unenforced could undermine public confidence in the courts.
“A judgement left unenforced is a mere paper book, and justice granted yet unenforced is no less a denial,” he stated.
He explained that small claims courts were designed to address delays and costs associated with conventional litigation, especially in debt recovery matters arising from commercial transactions.
According to him, increasing the monetary jurisdiction to ₦5 million would enable more businesses and individuals to pursue qualifying claims through the simplified procedure rather than relying entirely on conventional court processes.
The Chief Judge said the capacity-building workshop would provide an opportunity for judicial officers and court personnel to assess the performance of the small claims system, identify operational challenges and acquire practical skills to improve case management and judgment enforcement.
He urged deputy chief registrars to strengthen administrative efficiency, transparency and accountability in court operations, while encouraging the adoption of technology to improve service delivery.
Mann also emphasised the need to sustain the reforms beyond the current intervention, particularly as the institutional development project is expected to close in mid-2027.
He consequently directed participants selected as step-down trainers to transfer the knowledge acquired during the workshop to their respective judicial stations and mentor colleagues who were not in attendance.
The Chief Judge, however, cautioned against sacrificing fairness and judicial integrity in the pursuit of speedy proceedings.
“Efficiency must never compromise integrity. Speed without fairness is not justice,” he declared before formally opening the workshop.
Speaking with journalists after the opening ceremony, Deborah Nya, Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of magistrates and the judiciary’s focal person for the SABER project, described the partnership between the programme and the Plateau State Judiciary as productive.
She explained that the initiative had strengthened the small claims court system and improved the speed at which commercial disputes involving small businesses were resolved.
According to her, conventional court proceedings could take up to six months, whereas cases instituted under the small claims procedure were expected to be concluded within 60 days.
“In the regular court proceedings, adjudication will take up to maybe six months. But with the small claims, it is time-bound. It is 60 days,” she said.
She added that the judiciary had made efforts to ensure that cases handled under the procedure were concluded within the stipulated period, covering the hearing of disputes and delivery of judgments.
The Deputy Chief Registrar explained that the arrangement had improved confidence among business owners seeking an accessible judicial mechanism to resolve disagreements with customers and business partners.
She nevertheless identified inadequate public awareness as a major challenge affecting the utilisation of small claims courts in the state.
According to her, many potential litigants remain unaware of the existence of the courts and the simplified procedure available for resolving eligible commercial disputes.
She said magistrates had continued to sensitise litigants, lawyers and other court users about the system, including the increased ₦5 million monetary jurisdiction, to encourage greater utilisation.
The SABER programme, which Plateau State has been implementing since 2023, focuses on improving the business environment through regulatory reforms, streamlined licensing and permit procedures, infrastructure development and targeted support for entrepreneurs and investors.
The state government said the reforms were intended to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, attract investment, encourage private sector development and create employment opportunities.
The two-day workshop also covered small claims debt recovery procedures, case management, documentation, mediation, arbitration and recent legal reforms affecting businesses.
Participants included magistrates, registrars, bailiffs and other judicial personnel whose responsibilities are central to the effective operation of the small claims system.
The training was designed to strengthen their capacity to provide timely, fair and cost-effective dispute resolution services while improving the enforcement of court judgments.
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