The chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) is the head of the judicial arm of the government of Nigeria, and presides over the country's Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council. The current chief justice is Kudirat Kekere-Ekun who was appointed on 22 August 2024. She was appointed acting chief justice of the Federation upon the retirement of incumbent chief justice, Olukayode Ariwoola. The Supreme Court of Nigeria is the highest court in Nigeria and its decisions are final. The chief justice of Nigeria is nominated by the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon recommendation by the National Judicial Council and is subject to confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The CJN holds office at the pleasure of the Nigerian constitution and can only be removed from office by death or on attainment of age 70 whichever occurs first or by impeachment by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which requires a super majority of the members of the Nigerian Senate.
List of chief justices
The following is a complete list of chief justices of Nigeria.https://web.archive.org/web/20160220234027/http://www.fjsconline.gov.ng/list_of_chife.html Federal Judicial Service Commission, Nigeria Chief Justice Term Sir Edwin Speed 1914–1918 Sir Ralph Combe 1918–1929 Donald Kingdon 1929–1946 Sir John Verity 1946–1954 Sir Stafford Foster-Sutton 1955–1958 Sir Adetokunbo Ademola 1958–1972 Taslim Olawale Elias 1972–1975 Sir Darnley Arthur Alexander 1975–1979 Atanda Fatai Williams 1979–1983 George Sodeinde Sowemimo 1983–1985 Ayo Gabriel Irikefe 1985–1987 Mohammed Bello 1987–1995 Mohammed Uwais 1995–2006 Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore 2006–2007 Idris Legbo Kutigi 2007–2009 A. I. Katsina-Alu 2009–2011 Dahiru Musdapher 2011–2012Aloma Mariam Mukhtar 2012–2014 Mahmud Mohammed 2014–2016 Walter Onnoghen 2017–2019Tanko Muhammad2019–2022Olukayode Ariwoola2022–2024Kudirat Kekere-Ekun2024–present
List of previous chief justices Lagos (1863–1929) Benjamin Way (?–1866) John Carr (1866–?) (West African Settlements Supreme Court) George French (1867–1874) James Marshall (1874–1886) Sir John Salman Smith (1886–1895) Sir Thomas Crossley Rayner (1895–1902) Sir William Nicholl (1902–1908)
Northern Nigeria Alastair Davidson (1900–1901) Henry Cowper Gollan (1901–1905) Sir M R Menendez (1905–1908) Sir Edwin Speed (1908–1913)
Southern Nigeria Henry Green Kelly (1900–1902) Willoughby Osborne (1906–1913)
References
External links Website of the Supreme Court of Nigeria Website of the National Judicial Council