Katsina State and CDD Strengthen Mediation Through New Training and Legal Framework
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TL;DR
- Katsina State and the Centre for Democracy and Development reaffirmed support for mediation.
- 35 lawyers and government officials received ADR training at the Ministry of Justice.
- Katsina State passed a new law institutionalising mediation in its justice system.
- The state's mediation centre has been effective in reducing case backlog in courts.
Overview
Katsina State, in partnership with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has taken steps to strengthen mediation and other Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms by training lawyers and enacting new legislation to institutionalise mediation in the state's justice system.
What Happened
A capacity-building training session was held for 35 lawyers and senior officials from the Katsina State Ministry of Justice, focusing on mediation and ADR.
Fadila Dikko, Katsina State's Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, emphasized the increasing role of ADR in the state's justice administration.
A recent state law formally established mediation as part of the Katsina justice system. The Katsina mediation centre at the Ministry of Justice received operational support through office equipment, training, and materials supplied by CDD.
According to the CDD, the mediation centre has already had a measurable impact on reducing the number of unresolved cases in conventional courts.
Context
Nigeria's ADR legal framework was strengthened in 2023 with the enactment of the Arbitration and Mediation Act, which replaced the previous 1988 legislation.
Multi-Door Courthouse systems are increasingly used across Nigerian states to resolve disputes efficiently by offering alternatives to traditional litigation. The new measures in Katsina align with national efforts to promote ADR.
Why It Matters
- The measures in Katsina State aim to address court congestion and improve access to justice by making mediation and ADR more central to dispute resolution.
- The state's example reflects a broader trend in Nigeria towards institutionalizing ADR and reducing reliance on litigation.