Edo to get small claims court on ease of doing business reforms

As part of commitment to deepening Ease of Doing Business reforms, the Edo State Government will inaugurate a Small Claims Court, which would make settlement of commercial disputes seamless and fast. Technical Adviser and Focal Person, Edo State Ease of Doing Business and Competitiveness Secretariat, Kenny Aliu, who disclosed this in a statement, said the development is another milestone in efforts to attract investors into the state. Aliu said, “Another significant milestone in our Ease of Doing Business reforms agenda is to be achieved on Monday, March 2, 2020 with the launch and inauguration of a Small Claims Court in Edo State.”

He noted, “The Edo State Judiciary-led initiative is in collaboration with the executive branch and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC). It is a testament to our commitment as a government to continuously strive to remove constraints and bottlenecks to the business operating environment within Edo State.” He said the inauguration of the Small Claims Court in Edo State will enable informal, inexpensive and speedy resolution of simple debt recovery disputes not above N5 million, noting, “The idea behind these specialised commercial courts, is essentially to provide access to an informal, inexpensive and speedy resolution of simple debt recovery disputes not exceeding N5 million. Cases and claims are fast-tracked and small business operators who would otherwise have had to approach conventional courts, can self-represent and quickly obtain judgement and in the process plow back reclaimed resources into their businesses.”

The governor’s aide said the move to establish the Small Claims Court in Edo State is a critical step in Governor Obaseki-led administration’s ambition to improve the process of administration of justice, and in the process strengthen the judiciary system. He added that the establishment of the Small Claims Court in the state will “continuously make Edo State an easier place to do business in Nigeria. It is worth noting that only two states – Lagos and Kano-have fully functional Small Claims Courts. The Governor Godwin Obaseki-led Edo State would be the third in the country and the first in the South-South with such a court.”