As part of efforts to bolster Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework, the CCT has proposed increasing judges’ retirement age to 75 and renaming the tribunal to the Code of Conduct and Anti-Corruption Court.
The proposal was presented on Thursday by the Chairman of the CCT, Mainasara I.K. Umar, during a public hearing on a bill to repeal the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 2004, and replace it with the Code of Conduct Bureau and Anti-Corruption Court Act, 2025. The amendments will also be reflected in the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.
The bill seeks to ensure judges’ removal requires a two-thirds legislative resolution, establish three-judge panels, and maintain a minimum of 36 judges nationwide to reduce case backlogs and improve efficiency. Staff retirement age is proposed at 65 to optimize experience and productivity.
Umar said the reforms would create a specialized, independent court capable of swift and effective adjudication of Code of Conduct breaches, urging lawmakers to fast-track the bill.
Chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption, Hon. Kayode Moshood Akiolu, stressed that the reforms aim to enhance operational independence, investigative powers, and due process, while Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, represented by Deputy Minority Leader Aliyu Sani Madaki, highlighted the role of the CCT, CCB, and ICPC in enforcing ethical standards among public officials.
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