Sweeping reforms ahead for Nigerian lawyers as Tinubu sends Legal Practitioners Bill to Senate

Two-year post-admission legal internships, practicing licenses for lawyers, and compulsory continuing professional development (CPD) for all members of the Nigerian Bar are among massive changes on the horizon for Nigeria’s lawyers after President Bola Tinubu sent a new Legal Practitioners Bill to the Senate this week.

The bill introduces reforms designed to uphold professional standards, improve disciplinary mechanisms, and ensure accountability among legal practitioners. 

“This is great news for Nigeria,” says Scott Cowan, CEO and co-founder of Africa Legal. “As the saying goes, ‘it’s the minority that spoils it for the majority’. The rule of law and ethical legal practice should never be negotiable, and those who bend the rules must be held accountable. These are important strides forward for the Nigerian legal profession and for Nigeria as a whole.”

President Tinubu, in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, noted that evolving challenges in regulating professional conduct and licensing lawyers necessitated a comprehensive review of the existing law.

The Legal Practitioners Bill, 2025 aims to modernise Nigeria’s legal framework, strengthen regulation of the legal profession, and enhance public confidence in legal practice. If passed, it will repeal and re-enact the Legal Practitioners Act, Cap L11, Laws of the Federation 2004, originally enacted in 1962.

Speaking with Africa Legal today, Rilwan Idris, Managing Partner of Abuja-based firm Transadvisory Legal, welcomed the proposed reforms as a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s legal system and enhancing the quality of legal practice. 

“The proposed legislation's focus on enforcing higher ethical standards, enhancing accountability, and expanding access to justice is laudable and aligns with the aspirations of legal professionals and the public,” says Idris, who was named Managing Partner of the Year (Small Practice) and Rising Star at the recent 2025 ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards. “The introduction of a mandatory two-year tutelage period for newly admitted legal practitioners and compulsory continuous professional development programs will undoubtedly contribute to the professional growth and development of lawyers, ultimately benefiting the Nigerian legal market.”

President Tinubu, in his letter, explained that the bill seeks to:

• Promote and protect public interest and the rule of law.

• Strengthen professional ethics and conduct.

• Improve transparency in regulation of legal services.

• Establish a Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee empowered to investigate and discipline misconduct, with penalties including suspension or removal from the legal roll.

• Introduce provisions for inspection and accreditation of law offices, issuance of practising licences, and adoption of official practice seals and stamps.

While there has been no official response yet from the Nigerian Bar Association to the President’s proposed reforms to the legal profession, there has been some discussion on social media from some Nigerian lawyers, largely focused on the introduction of the two-year post-admission internship, or pupillage, requirement. 

Two years of compulsory pupillage will be feasible if young lawyers will be adequately compensated, said Joel Ighalo, a senior associate at TNP, a Lagos commercial law firm with a global outlook. “But a legitimate concern is that it should not provide legal justification or open an avenue for cheap labour.” 

Other Nigerian lawyers, including Case Radar founder Agbo Obinnaya, shared similar concerns that compulsory pupillage could cause further gatekeeping of the Nigerian profession, or lead to newly admitted practitioners being exploited.

President Tinubu has urged the Senate to consider the bill expeditiously. Senate President Akpabio has referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for legislative action, with feedback expected within four weeks.