The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), through its Remuneration Committee chaired by Chief Emeka JP Obegolu, SAN, has issued official implementation guidelines for the Legal Practitioners’ Remuneration Order, 2023, clarifying the role of its local branches and reinforcing the national framework under Order 11(4) of the Remuneration Order.
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In a public statement released on Wednesday, the Committee emphasized that NBA branches are empowered to adopt context-specific enforcement models—provided such models are debated, voted upon, and duly submitted to the Remuneration Committee for validation and record-keeping.
“The Remuneration Committee is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the provisions of the Remuneration Order 2023 and is empowered to work through the Remuneration Committees of the Branches,” Obegolu stated. “Each NBA branch is empowered to develop implementation guidelines that are reflective of their local realities, but such must be democratically adopted and submitted for ratification.”
According to the Committee, resolutions previously passed by any branch must now be forwarded, alongside minutes of the meeting, for formal ratification. Branches yet to adopt a resolution are urged to convene meetings urgently to deliberate and determine their preferred model of implementation.
The Committee reiterated the NBA’s national stance against misinformation and misapplication of the Remuneration Order, especially in light of recent actions by some state branches that have imposed unauthorized bureaucratic procedures.
This clarification comes on the heels of a controversial directive issued by the Anambra State branch of the NBA, which mandated lawyers to submit property transaction agreements under ₦50 million to the branch chairman for countersigning, sealing, and issuance of a unique NBA number. The branch also reportedly demanded 10% of the property value as a processing fee and threatened disciplinary actions for non-compliance.
These measures drew national attention after being described as inconsistent with the actual provisions of the Remuneration Order and the NBA’s national policy.
In response to that and other similar directives, Chief Obegolu had earlier warned that such interpretations were a “gross misrepresentation” of the 2023 Remuneration Order. He emphasized that the Order does not mandate lawyers to obtain NBA approval before preparing legal documents or submitting them for registration.
“There is no legal provision making a lawyer’s document invalid simply because it was not vetted or stamped by a branch of the NBA,” Obegolu clarified.
Reaffirming the NBA’s commitment to equitable compensation and legal ethics, the statement read:
“We reaffirm our commitment to protecting the dignity of legal practitioners and ensuring that lawyers are fairly and reasonably compensated in line with the NBA Remuneration Order.”
Lawyers and members of the public who encounter questionable practices or conflicting instructions are advised to report them to the NBA Remuneration Committee via remuneration@nigerianbar.org.ng or phone: +234 803 388 8791.
The NBA stressed that local branch policies that contradict national guidelines may expose their proponents to disciplinary proceedings for professional misconduct.
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