The Nigerian Senate has formalized the Legal Practitioners Bill, 2025 (SB. 965), in its Extraordinary Journal No. 22, Volume 22, dated November 26, 2025, signaling a major push to overhaul the nation’s legal profession.
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This Senate Bill seeks to repeal the antiquated Legal Practitioners Act, Cap L11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (originally enacted in 1962), and enact a modern Legal Practitioners Act to introduce comprehensive reforms, regulate professional conduct, and enhance accountability within the bar.
The bill, spanning pages C787 to C823 in the journal, was listed alongside several amendments to the Federal Medical Centres Act, 2022, for new facilities across states including Borno, Gombe, Kogi, Kaduna, Jigawa, and Ebonyi. While the executive transmission by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu occurred on November 25 with first readings in both chambers, this publication captures the unaltered Senate copy for committee scrutiny, underscoring the legislative momentum toward aligning Nigeria’s legal framework with contemporary global standards.
(BILLS 2025- LEGAL PRACTITIONERS BILL- SENATE.)
Drawn directly from the published draft, the bill establishes a forward-looking regulatory architecture:
- Body of Benchers (Part II, Sections 3–9): Reconstitutes this body as a corporate entity chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, with membership including the Attorney-General of the Federation, Attorneys-General of States, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Judges, and up to 20 life Benchers. It oversees admissions, maintains an electronic Roll of Legal Practitioners (Section 15), and operates a dedicated fund from fees, federal allocations, and gifts (Sections 10–11). Supplementary provisions in the First Schedule detail proceedings, tenure (five years, renewable once), and cessation of membership.
- Admission and Practice (Part IV, Sections 12–16, 23–24): Eligibility for Call to the Bar requires a qualifying law degree, passing the Bar Finals, and good character certification. Enrolment with the Supreme Court Chief Registrar issues a Certificate of Call. “Practice of law” is broadly defined to include advisory, litigation, and transactional work with a Nigerian nexus, restricted to entitled practitioners. Annual practicing fees and licenses are mandatory.
- Disciplinary Framework (Part V, Sections 17–22): Establishes a Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee to probe misconduct, negligence, or fraud, with penalties including reprimands, suspensions, fines, restitution, or striking off the Roll (Section 18). Appeals lie to the Supreme Court (Section 19). A new Ethics, Adherence, and Enforcement Committee (Section 21) appoints investigators and prosecutors, conducts inspections, and enforces compliance, with powers to demand records and explanations (e.g., full written accounts during probes).
- Professional Development and Oversight (Part VI, Sections 25–29): Mandates a two-year pupillage under supervision, annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits accredited by the Nigerian Bar Association, and office inspections. Practitioners must use official stamps and seals issued by the Association’s standing committee, with rules for fee transparency.
- General Council of the Bar and Privileges (Sections 23–24, 32–33): Chaired by the Attorney-General, this council regulates ethics and grants docket priorities to Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs). SAN conferment requires 15+ years’ experience and evaluation by a Privileges Committee, emphasizing merit over patronage.
- Foreign and Unauthorized Practice (Part VII, Sections 30–31): Allows limited foreign lawyer practice via local partnerships under rules made by the Body of Benchers, while criminalizing unauthorized practice with fines and imprisonment.
- Client Protections and Remuneration (Parts IX–X, Sections 34–38): A Remuneration Committee sets fee guidelines recoverable by courts. Safeguards include regulated trust accounts for client funds (immune from set-offs), detailed accounting rules, and prohibitions on sharing fees with non-lawyers. Courts may authorize charges on contentious matters.
- Miscellaneous (Part XI, Sections 39–44): Includes 30-day pre-action notices against the Body, rule-making powers, transitional savings, and definitions (e.g., “foreign lawyer” as one entitled abroad; “fraud” encompassing misappropriation).
This Senate copy, faithful to the executive’s vision yet poised for amendments, responds to Nigerian Bar Association calls for integrity restoration and access to justice. Upon passage, it will be cited as the Legal Practitioners Act, 2025, potentially transforming the profession’s credibility and efficiency.
Note: This is the official Senate copy of the Legal Practitioners Bill, 2025 (SB. 965), as published in the National Assembly Journal Extraordinary No. 22, Vol. 22, Abuja – 26 November 2025, prior to substantive legislative review.
(BILLS 2025- LEGAL PRACTITIONERS BILL- SENATE.)
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