After the tenure of the immediate previous Administrator, Justice Salisu G. Abdullahi (rtd), ended on July 31, 2025, Justice Babatunde Adejumo (rtd) took over as the ninth administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI) Abuja.
Remember that on July 3, 2025, the National Judicial Institute’s Board of Governors, chaired by Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, authorized the appointment of Justice Adejumo as the Institute’s Administrator, effective August 1, 2025.
Kolade Umoru, Head of Information and Public Relations at NJI, said in a statement released on Friday that the new Administrator was greeted and warmly embraced by the Institute’s management and a few key personnel.
Mr. Osmond Otobo, the Director of Administration, spoke on behalf of the management and principal officers at the Institute’s Friday welcome reception, praising the new Administrator as a judicial officer who demonstrated exceptional leadership skills while serving as the President of the National Industrial Court in Abuja.
According to Otobo, Justice Adejumo was “a seasoned judicial administrator who made giant strides and transformation at the NICN, which include various law reforms, physical infrastructures, and other remarkable achievements during his tenure as President of the Court.”
Additionally, he expressed gratitude to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for selecting Justice Adejumo, whom he called “a great judicial technocrat.” The Institute is thankful, as is the Nigerian judiciary.
Mr. Otobo wished the new Administrator a prosperous term in office and reassured him of the loyalty of the management and personnel, as well as their dedication to diligence and productivity.
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The Institute is “one big family where there is a culture for good working relationships amongst staff and the Administrator,” he told Justice Adejumo.
The Administrator, Justice Adejumo, responded by thanking the management for hosting a reception for him. He emphasized that he is not new to the Institute and has been acquainted with it since 1993. He has worked directly or indirectly with the Institute through previous Chief Justices of Nigeria.
He advised the employees to embrace discipline and hard work, promising to repeat his performance in the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN).
Additionally, as a detribalized Nigerian, Justice Adejumo pledged to consider all cases on their merits. However, he did concede that NJI is a significant institution within the Nigerian judiciary, “thus it is the mirror to the public perception.”
He urged NJI’s employees to be open and honest in their interactions, promising to update the training materials and curriculum to align with international best practices once he settles in.
Along with his pledge to revamp the Institute’s information technology and library hubs for increased accessibility and patronage worldwide, Justice Adejumo also pledged to enhance staff welfare packages and expedite staff training and retraining across all cadres and ranks.
With a wealth of experience and a profound grasp of judicial administration and continuing education, Justice Adejumo is a highly esteemed jurist, seasoned administrator, and educator who served with distinction as President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) prior to joining NJI.
According to the announcement, “these attributes are anticipated to greatly reinforce the Institute’s endeavor in advancing judicial capacity, development, and institutional innovation in knowledge, performance, and ethical standards in Nigerian Judiciary.”
