President Bola Tinubu has transmitted the Legal Practitioners Bill 2025 to the Senate, seeking the repeal of the Legal Practitioners Act, L11, Laws of the Federation 2004, which has governed the profession since it was first enacted in 1962.
In a letter read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu said the bill was necessary to “introduce a new legal framework” that would strengthen the regulation of legal practice in the country.
Tinubu explained that the current law no longer meets the demands of a modern legal environment.
“The draft bill introduces a new legal framework strengthening the regulation of the legal profession in Nigeria,” he wrote, adding that it would “enhance professional standards, disciplinary mechanisms, and public confidence in legal practice in Nigeria.”
He reminded the lawmakers that “legal practitioners play a crucial role in upholding justice, the rule of law, and access to justice,” stressing that reforms were overdue.
According to the President, the changing landscape of legal practice has thrown up new challenges.
He cited “evolving challenges with respect to regulating professional conduct,” as well as the need for “appropriate disciplinary measures, legal accountability, stronger professional ethics, and a more transparent regulatory structure.”
Tinubu argued that these were essential “in view of the growing domestic and international demands for legal services in this country.”
The bill, as transmitted, outlines several key reforms. Tinubu noted that Section 1 of the proposed Act “provides the objectives of the Act, which include promoting and protecting public interest, promoting the rule of law, improving access to justice, and increasing public understanding of legal rights and duties.”
Section 2, he added, “establishes the core principles guiding legal practitioners, including integrity, confidentiality, ethical standards, and duty to clients and duty to courts.”
The President further explained that Section 3 of the draft legislation “establishes the Body of Benchers charged with the responsibility of admitting eligible persons to the Bar.”
He also highlighted the new disciplinary framework.
“Section 17 establishes the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee with jurisdiction to consider and determine cases of misconduct,” he said, while Section 18 “provides for a range of penalties, including suspension, restriction, reprimand, and removal from the roll.”
The reforms also extend to legal training and continuing practice requirements. Tinubu stated that Sections 25 and 26 introduce “a two-year mandatory pupillage and compulsory continuing professional education,” alongside the issuance of practising licences and the compulsory use of official stamps and seals on legal documents.
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The President urged the Senate to process the bill without delay, writing, “I trust that the Senate will consider the request expeditiously.”
After the letter was read, Akpabio referred the bill to the Committee on Rules and Business, saying it should “work on it and revert to the Senate at the appropriate time,” as he settled on a four-week timeline. “I know I’m saying we should conclude in four weeks, but that was what I suggested, six weeks initially,” he remarked during the session.
The bid to reform Nigeria’s legal framework has been a recurring demand among legal professionals and judicial stakeholders.
Over the years, the Nigerian Bar Association and other experts have repeatedly criticised the outdated provisions of the 1962 law, warning that it no longer addresses issues such as misconduct, the rise of unlicensed practitioners, weak regulation of training, and gaps in ethical compliance.
