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Nigeria

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Mixed (common law, customary law, Sharia)Federal presidential republicReviewed· 2026-08-03
Capital
Abuja
Population
223,800,000
Languages
English, Hausa
Currency
NGN

Nigeria · Courts

Court structure of Nigeria

Every tier of the judiciary, what it hears, and where an appeal goes next.

The hierarchy, top to bottom

Supreme — Supreme Court of Nigeria
Final appellate court; exclusive original jurisdiction in federation–state disputes.
Appellate — Court of Appeal
Divisions across the country; hears appeals from all superior courts of record.
First instance — Federal High Court and State High Courts
Federal High Court has exclusive jurisdiction over revenue, admiralty and company matters.
Religious and customary — Sharia Courts of Appeal and Customary Courts of Appeal
State-level appellate courts for Islamic personal law and customary law.
Specialised — National Industrial Court
Exclusive jurisdiction over labour and employment disputes.

Every court in the hierarchy

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