The Council of Legal Education (CLE) has established a high-powered committee to overhaul Nigeria’s foundational legal education law, signaling a major reform push to align training standards with contemporary challenges. This move, alongside the approval of disciplinary actions against student infractions, emerged from the CLE’s fourth quarterly virtual meeting on October 28, 2025, chaired by Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN, OFR, Life Bencher.
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The resolutions underscore the Council’s dual focus: legislative renewal to bolster the profession’s future and rigorous enforcement of ethical conduct among aspiring lawyers. As Nigeria’s legal sector grapples with digital disruptions, judicial backlogs, and evolving human rights demands, these steps aim to fortify the pipeline of competent, integrity-driven practitioners.
In response to directives from the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, the CLE has formed a committee to collaborate with the Nigerian Law School Management team. The joint effort will review and revise the Legal Education (Consolidation, etc.) Act, Cap. L10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 a 21-year-old statute governing legal training, accreditation, and bar admissions.
The objective is to produce a “zero-draft” of the Legal Education (Consolidation, etc.) Bill, 2025, incorporating updates on modern realities such as technology integration in legal practice, expanded access to education, and enhanced regulatory oversight. lawyers anticipate the bill will address gaps in areas like online learning accreditation, faculty diversity, and international benchmarking, potentially streamlining operations for institutions like the Nigerian Law School.
The committee members are:
| Position | Name | Designation |
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | K. K. Eleja | SAN |
| Member | Ibrahim Sani Muhammed | SAN |
| Member | Funmi Roberts | – |
| Member | Prof. Sylvia Ifemeje | – |
| Member | Chukwuma Ezeala | – |
The panel is mandated to deliver its report within 14 days, paving the way for stakeholder consultations and potential legislative tabling in the National Assembly.
ResolutionOfCLEOctober2025In a separate resolution, the CLE endorsed a slate of sanctions for cases of examination misconduct, non-examination misconduct, and referred admission irregularities, as recommended by the Board of Studies. These measures, aligned with the Council’s Rules and Regulations, include warnings, suspensions, and potential disqualifications, though specific details on individual cases remain confidential to protect privacy.
The approvals reflect zero tolerance for breaches that undermine the profession’s integrity, with recent trends showing a rise in digital cheating attempts during virtual exams. CLE officials noted that such actions serve as deterrents, ensuring only the most ethical candidates proceed to the Bar Finals and Call to the Bar Ceremony, now rescheduled for November 25, 2025.
These resolutions cap a productive quarter for the CLE, following earlier approvals for new law programs at seven universities and quota expansions at others. As the committee’s work unfolds, it could catalyze broader debates on decolonizing legal curricula and adapting to AI-driven advocacy.
Chief Ngige commended the committee’s formation as a “timely intervention” for sustainable growth.
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