|By Adejumo Adekunle
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has challenged civil servants—particularly those in the justice sector—to step up performance and deliver measurable reforms, declaring that Nigerians are watching President Bola Tinubu’s administration and expect tangible change in governance.
Fagbemi issued the charge on Wednesday in Abuja at the opening of the 2026 Justice Sector Retreat, where he described the justice sector as the “conscience of government” and urged stakeholders to build legacies defined by impact, not intentions.
He called on participants to abandon broad policy statements and embrace Strategic Objectives anchored on SMART targets—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound—insisting that history would judge the sector by results, not rhetoric.
“History will judge us not by our intentions but by our impact. Nigerians are watching, waiting and hoping that this administration will break the cycle of unfulfilled promises,” Fagbemi said. “The justice sector must exemplify what is right, just and lawful. We must leave legacies that will define our institutions in 2026 and beyond.”
While acknowledging progress in access to justice and service delivery, the minister stressed that performance gaps remain and demanded accelerated reforms across key institutions. He urged prosecution agencies to deploy modern tools and processes to improve conviction rates and reduce delays in case management, describing slow justice delivery as a major threat to public confidence.
Fagbemi also directed legal aid agencies to expand access for indigent citizens, law reform bodies to modernise outdated legislation, and regulatory agencies to adopt digital transformation to streamline operations and cut processing times.
“Our justice institutions must deliver faster outcomes, wider access, and stronger accountability. Nigerians deserve a system that works efficiently and transparently,” he added.
In her welcome address, the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs Jedy-Agba, said the retreat’s theme—“Streamlining the Ministry’s 2026 Performance Management System Cycle in Alignment with the Presidential Priorities and Sector-Specific Deliverables”—reflected a clear reform agenda.
She said the retreat was designed to produce a practical roadmap with measurable actions to strengthen justice administration while aligning fully with executive priorities. According to her, discussions would focus on performance targets, institutional challenges, reform opportunities and the renewal of performance contracts.
“The decisions and commitments we make here will define the experience of millions in Nigeria and beyond,” Jedy-Agba said, urging participants to translate discussions into actionable strategies, accountability frameworks and implementable reforms that deliver real impact for citizens.
