The Lagos State House of Assembly has commenced moves to improve the welfare and working conditions of magistrates as lawmakers on Monday passed the Magistrate Courts Amendment Bill 2026 for second reading. The proposed amendment seeks to strengthen the magistracy, retain experienced judicial officers and enhance effective justice delivery across the state. The bill, among... The post Lagos Assembly Moves To Raise Magistrates’ Retirement Age To 65 appeared first on New Telegraph .
The Lagos State House of Assembly has commenced moves to improve the welfare and working conditions of magistrates as lawmakers on Monday passed the Magistrate Courts Amendment Bill 2026 for second reading.
The proposed amendment seeks to strengthen the magistracy, retain experienced judicial officers and enhance effective justice delivery across the state.
The bill, among other provisions, proposes raising the retirement age of magistrates from 60 to 65 years, allowing experienced judicial officers to continue serving and contribute their expertise to the justice system.
Leading the debate on the bill, Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petition and LASIEC, Hon. Oladipo Ajomale, said the amendment was aimed at strengthening the magistracy and improving the conditions of service of magistrates.
Ajomale noted that the Lagos State Government had invested significantly in the training and development of magistrates, stressing the need to provide adequate welfare and better working conditions to retain the expertise acquired by judicial officers.
He argued that allowing experienced magistrates to retire at 60 could lead to the loss of valuable knowledge and experience at a time when such expertise remained critical to the administration of justice.
According to him, magistrates handle a significant number of cases involving ordinary citizens, adding that the retirement of a magistrate in the middle of an ongoing matter could cause delays and, in some cases, require proceedings to begin afresh.
Also contributing to the debate, Hon. Bonu Solomon called for more research and improved welfare for magistrates in the state.
Bonu noted that magistrates face substantial workloads, with some reportedly handling more than 100 cases in a single day.
He said the pressure associated with such workloads required greater attention from the House, particularly in the areas of welfare and working conditions.
The lawmaker added that improving the welfare of magistrates would motivate them to discharge their responsibilities more efficiently and ultimately contribute to better justice delivery across Lagos.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, said the retirement age of magistrates should not be determined solely by their age but also by their competence and ability to continue performing effectively.
Obasa observed that many people above the age of 60 remained active and productive, arguing that competent magistrates should be allowed to continue serving, while those who were no longer capable should retire.
The Speaker subsequently committed the bill to the House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and LASIEC for further deliberation.
He directed the committee to submit its report to the House within one week.
