Chinedum Anayo | Abuja, Nigeria
The Nigerian Senate has passed the Legal Practitioners Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026, paving the way for what could become the most sweeping reform of the legal profession in over six decades.
The proposed legislation, which seeks to repeal the current Legal Practitioners Act, Cap. L11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, is designed to modernise the regulation of legal practice, strengthen professional discipline, improve legal education and enhance public confidence in the justice system.
However, the bill is not yet law, as it still requires concurrence by the House of Representatives (where necessary) and presidential assent before coming into force.
The bill, originally transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu in November 2025, responds to concerns that the existing Legal Practitioners Act, first enacted in 1962, no longer adequately addresses the realities of modern legal practice.
It seeks to establish a more transparent, accountable and technology-driven framework for regulating lawyers and legal services in Nigeria.
Among its most significant innovations is the introduction of a mandatory two-year Post-Professional Legal Internship (PPLI) for newly called lawyers.
Under the proposal, lawyers who have been called to the Bar would undergo structured supervised practice before they are permitted to establish or independently manage a law firm.
The internship is intended to improve practical legal training, mentorship and professional competence, although it has generated widespread debate within the legal community over concerns about implementation and remuneration for young lawyers.
The proposed law also introduces mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes aimed at ensuring lawyers regularly update their legal knowledge and professional skills throughout their careers.
Failure to meet prescribed professional development requirements could affect a lawyer’s eligibility to continue practising.
Another major reform is the strengthening of the disciplinary process.
The bill expands the powers and procedures of the disciplinary framework for investigating allegations of professional misconduct, while seeking to ensure greater transparency, efficiency and accountability in disciplinary proceedings involving legal practitioners.
The legislation further proposes a more robust licensing regime, including provisions relating to the issuance and renewal of practising licences, official seals and stamps for legal practitioners, as well as enhanced regulation of law offices through inspection and accreditation mechanisms designed to improve professional standards.
Significantly, for the first time, the bill also contains detailed provisions regulating foreign legal practitioners who wish to provide legal services in Nigeria.
The proposed development seeks to balance international legal practice with the protection of Nigeria’s domestic legal profession by prescribing conditions under which foreign lawyers may be permitted to practise.
The bill strengthens ethical obligations on lawyers by reinforcing professional conduct requirements and promoting greater accountability to clients, the courts and the public.
It also seeks to improve access to justice by ensuring that the institutions responsible for regulating legal practice operate more efficiently and transparently.
Presenting the report before the Senate, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (SAN), described the legal profession as “the guardian of the rule of law” and said the committee subjected the bill to extensive scrutiny because of its importance to Nigeria’s justice system.
According to him, the proposed legislation would provide a constitutional, modern and effective regulatory framework capable of strengthening legal practice while improving public confidence in the administration of justice.
If eventually enacted, the Legal Practitioners Act, 2026, will replace legislation that has governed Nigeria’s legal profession for decades and is expected to fundamentally reshape legal education, professional licensing, law firm regulation, most importantly, ethics and discipline for lawyers across the country.
