By Stephen Simon
President Bola Tinubu has transmitted a new Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, 2026, to the House of Representatives, proposing sweeping reforms aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s criminal justice system. The proposed legislation seeks to repeal and replace the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, with measures designed to speed up criminal trials, strengthen witness protection and improve case management.
One of the major highlights of the bill is the proposed abolition of the controversial “trial-within-trial” procedure in criminal proceedings. The bill also seeks to establish a National Sex Offenders Register, create a Witness Support Fund, strengthen the powers of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council and introduce measures to reduce delays in the prosecution of criminal cases.
In a letter accompanying the proposed legislation, President Tinubu said the reforms had become necessary to address legal, procedural and institutional shortcomings that have limited the effective implementation of the ACJA over the past decade. He stated that the proposed law would modernise criminal justice administration and enhance public confidence in the justice system.
The proposed bill is also expected to improve coordination among criminal justice institutions by promoting efficient case management and expanding support for victims and witnesses. Legal experts believe the reforms could significantly reduce delays that have long characterised criminal trials in Nigeria.
The legislation further seeks to enhance the monitoring of criminal proceedings through a strengthened Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council, while introducing new mechanisms to ensure greater accountability among agencies involved in the administration of justice.
Stakeholders in the justice sector are expected to scrutinise the bill closely when it comes before lawmakers for debate, particularly the proposal to abolish trial-within-trial proceedings, which has generated considerable discussion among legal practitioners over its implications for the protection of defendants’ constitutional rights.
If passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the President, the proposed legislation is expected to usher in one of the most significant reforms of Nigeria’s criminal justice system since the enactment of the ACJA in 2015, with the overall objective of delivering faster, more efficient and more transparent criminal justice.
