The Chief Justice of Nigeria or CJN is the head of the judicial arm of the government of Nigeria, and presides over the country's

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

and the National Judicial Council. The current Chief Justice is

Olukayode Ariwoola Olukayode Ariwoola (born 22 August 1954) is a Nigerian jurist and justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria who serves as the chief justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was formerly a justice of the Nigerian courts of appeal and on 22 No ...

who was appointed on 27 June 2022. He was appointed Acting Chief Justice of the Federation upon the resignation of incumbent Chief Justice Tanko Muhammad, he was confirmed Chief Justice by the

Nigerian Senate The Senate is the upper chamber of Nigeria's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly of Nigeria. The National Assembly (popularly referred to as NASS) is the nation's highest legislature, whose power is to make laws, is summarized in chapt ...

on 21 September 2022. 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 A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

List of chief justices

Source
Federal Judicial Service Commission, Nigeria

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 NigeriaWebsite of the National Judicial Council
Judiciary of Nigeria {{Nigeria-law-stub