The ECOWAS Court of Justice has announced plans to reform its judicial procedures to ensure faster, fairer, and more efficient delivery of justice across West Africa.
The announcement was made by Justice Ricardo Gonçalves, President of the Court, on Monday in Niger State during the opening of the 2025 Judicial Retreat, themed “Efficiency and Effectiveness: Streamlining Processes for a Dynamic ECOWAS Court.”
Gonçalves said the retreat aims to assess the Court’s operations, review collaboration with the College of Judges, and evaluate the implementation of previous resolutions to enhance institutional performance.
“We are taking deliberate steps to reform and streamline our procedures so that justice within the ECOWAS Community is delivered more swiftly and efficiently,” he said. “Our procedures must remain faithful to the law while being responsive to the realities of justice delivery in our time.”
The Court President noted that citizens expect timely rulings, stressing the judiciary must evolve to meet the demands of regional integration and rights protection. The retreat also reviews the Court’s annual performance report to measure progress and identify priorities for the coming judicial year.
Gonçalves emphasized that the Court’s credibility depends on discipline, collaboration, and accountability among judges and staff. “From this retreat, we must emerge with clear resolutions that strengthen cooperation, institutionalize accountability, and make our procedures more transparent and accessible,” he said.
The Chief Registrar of the ECOWAS Court, Yaouza Ouro-Sama, revealed that human rights cases now constitute over 90 per cent of matters filed before the Court. He said the institution has gained global recognition for its principled stance on rights protection, making it one of Africa’s most active regional courts.
Ouro-Sama attributed this rising profile to the dedication and intellectual rigor of the judges, stressing the importance of sustaining momentum to continue delivering justice effectively across the subregion.
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