The Lagos State judiciary has announced the payment of N30,000 fee per session for all remote or virtual court proceedings across the state from April 1, 2024.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Acting Chief Registrar of the state, Tajudeen Elias, disclosed this in a circular dated March 28, 2024, and obtained by NAN, yesterday, in Lagos.
The circular stated that all applications for virtual hearings must be made to the court hearing the matter.
It added that payment shall be made upon approval of the court.
Besides, it said that the Assistant Chief Registrar on Litigation in Ikeja or Lagos would schedule the case for hearing upon receipt of the payment.
“No other office or officer is authorised to conduct or schedule cases for virtual proceedings in the courts of Lagos State.
“The First Hightower Infotech Ltd. (FHTI) will continue to provide Internet access and service for the courts where they currently offer such services.
“Court registrars are directed to ensure strict compliance with the circular,” it said.
Managing Director of Global T & T New Solutions Ltd., MusbauFamuyiwa, while commenting on the development, said that the virtual hearing became popular in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Famuyiwa said that the virtual hearing was a means of ensuring continuity of court operations while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
He said that the virtual hearing had been free from inception and its usage started since the beginning of COVID-19 to attend to pressing cases.
The managing director said that the payment of the fee would make the virtual hearing more effective by scaling it up to achieve and aid the justice system.
“In terms of scaling it up, the judiciary does not have the capacity and infrastructural development and that is why Global T& T is involved to help it achieve the goal.
“If the judiciary finds the third party to fill in that gap to provide this service, it will go a long way,” he said.
Famuyiwa, who reiterated that the court would not force anyone to pay for the fee or make use of virtual hearing, added: “People are already tapping into this service but the court is not forcing anyone to use the virtual hearing.
“The virtual hearing has also been extended to all magistrate courts in the state.
“The service charge of N30,000 is going to our company’s purse.”
