FG Expresses Regret, Offers Clarification On Oversight In UK-Nigeria Bilateral Legal Practice Agreement
The minister’s now deleted tweet
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had also condemned the purported agreement, saying the statement credited to the minister was “ridiculous, unpatriotic, and uninformed”.Uzoka-Anitie, in a thread on X, walked back her earlier statement and said there was no such legal agreement between Nigeria and the UK.
She added that the partnership signed was well thought-out and painstakingly negotiated by Nigerian experts across various sectors.
“Earlier today, Nigeria signed a far-reaching MOU with the United Kingdom for Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership,” she said.
“It is a robust partnership understanding which promises to be a springboard for immense growth in trade relations with the United Kingdom.
“The Partnership was well thought-out and painstakingly negotiated by Nigerian experts across various sectors.
“It touched on areas of mutual business interests, including finance, technical barriers to trade, healthcare, investment, customs and trade facilitation, agriculture, intellectual property, creative industry and legal services — to mention a few.
“Regrettably, our earlier report erroneously suggests that Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that allows lawyers licensed in the United Kingdom to practise in Nigeria.
“We wish to state emphatically that there is no such provision or agreement in the MOU.”
The minister restated that Nigeria does not have a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the UK and made no commitment, under the MOU or elsewhere, to allow UK-licensed lawyers to practise in Nigeria.
“As it currently stands, foreign licensed lawyers (including those licensed in the U.K.) cannot practice in Nigeria, as categorically stated in the MOU,” she said.
“We recognise that cross-jurisdictional practice between Nigeria and the United Kingdom is still an ongoing conversation amongst relevant stakeholders within the legal practitioners community in Nigeria, and this was reflected in the MOU.”
