RismadarVoice Reporters
February 11, 2026
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has adopted a comprehensive report detailing the association’s engagement with the National Assembly on the proposed amendment of the Legal Practitioners Act (LPA).
The decision was reached at the NEC meeting held on Thursday, February 5, 2026, in Maiduguri, Borno State, reaffirming the Bar’s commitment to modernising the legal profession’s regulatory framework in line with contemporary realities.
Deliberating on the report presented by the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the council noted that the association’s participation in the legislative process was driven by the urgent need to strengthen the legal profession and reposition it to meet emerging challenges.
In a statement shared on the association’s X handle on Wednesday following the meeting, the NEC clarified that the proposed amendments are not intended to undermine the independence of the Bar or transfer its regulatory authority to external bodies.
“The proposed amendment does not weaken the NBA. Rather, it clearly and expressly reinforces the NBA’s authority to regulate legal practice in Nigeria, including the issuance and renewal of practising licences,” the council stated.
The NEC emphasized that the bill seeks to strengthen the NBA’s statutory roles, enhance ethical enforcement mechanisms and deepen public confidence in the legal profession. It further observed that the amendments would expand the NBA’s representation on the Body of Benchers and clarify its role in disciplinary processes, thereby reinforcing existing mechanisms for investigating and prosecuting professional misconduct.
A major highlight of the deliberations was the inclusion of new provisions addressing the remuneration and economic welfare of young lawyers. The move follows sustained concerns over poor pay and exploitative working conditions within the profession.
The council particularly welcomed the intervention of the NBA Young Lawyers Forum (YLF), whose Secretary, Mr. Etaba Agbor, urged the NEC to embed statutory safeguards on the remuneration of young lawyers in the amended law.
Agbor stressed the importance of “embedding statutory safeguards on the remuneration of young lawyers as a means of curbing exploitative practices and promoting professional growth.”
The NEC agreed that establishing fair compensation standards and minimum professional conditions for junior practitioners is essential to the long-term sustainability and dignity of the profession.
“Addressing the welfare of young lawyers is critical to safeguarding professional dignity, ethical independence, and the future of legal practice in Nigeria,” the council affirmed.
According to the President’s report, the amendment process is the product of collaboration involving the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Body of Benchers. Osigwe noted that reforming the LPA has become imperative in an era where technology plays a central role in legal practice.
“Technology is now an essential part of the tools for a lawyer,” he said, stressing the need to modernise the Act for the evolving demands of the AI age.
He added that the current position of the Bar reflects recommendations from previous reform initiatives, including the Tony Idigbe, SAN-led committee and past NEC resolutions.
“Our collective duty, Bench and Bar alike, is to ensure that justice is not a distant ideal but a daily reality for all Nigerians,” Osigwe stated.
The NEC also commended the leadership of the NBA President for ensuring that the voice of the Bar remains prominent in the ongoing legislative process. Observers noted that the choice of Maiduguri as the meeting venue symbolised institutional resilience.
“Borno State has remained indomitable in the face of insurgency… the choice of venue was intentional and meaningful,” Osigwe remarked.
With the NEC’s formal endorsement, the NBA is expected to intensify its engagement with the National Assembly to ensure the smooth passage of the amendment bill into law.
