House Of Representatives Calls For Halt To Proposed UK Lawyers’ Practice In Nigeria
The Nigerian House of Representatives has urged the federal government to cease the signing and execution of a trade partnership with the United Kingdom, permitting lawyers trained in the UK to practice law within Nigeria.
This call was made on Tuesday by the lower chamber of the National Assembly after a motion was raised by 49 lawmakers. The House also directed its Committee on Treaties, Protocols, and Agreements to investigate the matter and report back within four weeks.
Citing recent reports and public outcry over an alleged economic and trade partnership between the UK and Nigeria, focusing on sectors like energy, legal, and financial services, lawmakers expressed concerns that the trade deal appeared to favor the UK disproportionately.
The House emphasized that the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment must immediately halt the signing and execution of the trade partnership with the UK, asserting that it was skewed mainly in favor of the UK, to the detriment of qualified Nigerian lawyers.
According to the House, the partnership aimed only to permit UK lawyers to practice in Nigeria, without a reciprocal arrangement for Nigerian lawyers in the UK.
Lawmakers argued that without swift action to investigate and address these concerns, Nigeria might be entering into an agreement that could ultimately be unfavorable to the country and its citizens.
The President Bola Tinubu-led government had previously denied reports suggesting that it had authorized British legal practitioners to practice in Nigeria. The Federal Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, clarified in a statement that there was no provision or agreement allowing UK-licensed lawyers to practice in Nigeria.
However, the purported policy was viewed with skepticism by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which saw it as an attempt to deprive Nigerian lawyers of their livelihood. NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, vowed to convene a meeting of senior lawyers to challenge the legality of the agreement, expressing deep concern over its potential impact on the legal profession in Nigeria.
