The Federal Government has backtracked on its previous announcement allowing United Kingdom (UK) lawyers to practice in Nigeria.

In a statement, Nigerian Minister for Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, had initially stated that UK-trained lawyers could practice in Nigeria as part of the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership signed between Nigeria and the UK.

However, in light of intense criticism, particularly from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Uzoka-Anite retracted her earlier statement.

In a series of posts on her social media account, Uzoka-Anite clarified the situation: “Earlier today, Nigeria signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Kingdom for Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership. Regrettably, our earlier report mistakenly suggested that the MoU allows lawyers licensed in the United Kingdom to practice in Nigeria. We wish to clarify that there is no such provision or agreement in the MoU.”

The minister explained that Nigeria does not have a Mutual Recognition Agreement with the UK and has not made any commitments, either in the MoU or elsewhere, to permit UK-licensed lawyers to practice in Nigeria.

“As it currently stands, foreign licensed lawyers, including those licensed in the UK, cannot practice in Nigeria, as explicitly stated in the MoU. We acknowledge that theNigeria Reverses Decision: UK Lawyers Barred from Practicing in the Country

The Nigerian government has made a U-turn on its previous statement allowing lawyers from the United Kingdom (UK) to practice in Nigeria.

Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Minister for Trade and Investment, had initially announced that UK-trained lawyers would be permitted to practice in Nigeria as part of an Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership between the two countries.

However, following strong criticism, particularly from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Uzoka-Anite retracted her earlier statement.

In a series of posts on her social media account, Uzoka-Anite clarified the situation: “Earlier today, Nigeria signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Kingdom for Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership. Unfortunately, our earlier report mistakenly suggested that the MoU allows lawyers licensed in the United Kingdom to practice in Nigeria. We wish to emphatically state that there is no such provision or agreement in the MoU.”

The minister explained that Nigeria does not have a Mutual Recognition Agreement with the UK and has not made any commitments, either in the MoU or elsewhere, to allow UK-licensed lawyers to practice in Nigeria.

“As it currently stands, foreign licensed lawyers, including those licensed in the UK, cannot practice in Nigeria, as explicitly stated in the MoU. We acknowledge that the issue of cross-jurisdictional practice between Nigeria and the United Kingdom is still an ongoing conversation among relevant stakeholders within the legal practitioners community in Nigeria, and this was reflected in the MoU,” she added.

The President of the NBA, Yakubu Maikyau, had previously criticised the purported agreement, describing the Minister’s statement as “ridiculous, unpatriotic, and uninformed.”