*By: Oyetola Muyiwa Atoyebi SAN, FCIArb (U.K) (Notary Public)*
The Supreme Court Practice Directions 2026 mark a significant shift from traditional paper-based appellate procedure to electronic filing and digital case management. By requiring electronic submission of processes and Records of Appeal, OCR-enabled documents, standardised formatting, strict timelines and the use of the NCMS, the regime seeks to address longstanding delays, administrative inefficiencies and difficulties in accessing and managing appellate records. However, concerns remain regarding transmission fees, technical compliance, system failures and the possibility that digitisation may create new barriers to access to appellate justice.
This article examines the key provisions of the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2026 and their implications for litigants and legal practitioners. It considers the electronic filing requirements, transmission of Records of Appeal, prescribed fees and practical challenges of implementation, while highlighting the need for reliable technology and procedural safeguards to ensure that digitisation cures existing inefficiencies without creating new barriers to efficient and accessible appellate justice.
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