There is palpable anxiety among lawyers who are yet to pay their Bar Practising Fee (BPF) as the March 31 deadline for the payment is fast approaching.

Social media platforms monitored by CITY LAWYER early today showed that some lawyers are still experiencing challenges in accessing the BPF payment portal.

According to one of the affected lawyers who sent an SOS on a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) branch platform today, “I still can’t pay my BPF fees. This is what I keep getting after imputing card details.

“The payment for branch dues and insurance went seamlessly though. It’s the BPF that is giving issues. I’d appreciate any help I can get.”

Another lawyer replied: “Same thing is happening to me for 1 week now.”

Yet another anxious lawyer wrote: “The website isn’t working for payment of BPF. What’s the alternative please? I’m receiving empty emails without the otp.”

Responding, Mr. Adebola Lema of NBA Lagos Branch wrote: “The NBA website for payment of Practising Fee is working perfectly too. Having any issue with payment? Please do not hesitate to reach out for assistance.”

He added: “Kindly scroll down and click change of payment mode. You will then see several options including transfer to bank.

“Choose the option most convenient for you and effect the payment. I recommend direct bank transfer and once you have done the transfer you can click on ‘I have made this bank transfer’.”

Aside from “Bank Transfer,” other available options on the portal include Card, Paypal, USSD, and Bank.

This seems to have worked for some lawyers, as one payer wrote: “This worked!!!!! Payment was successful and confirmed. Got my receipt as well. THANKS A WHOLE LOT.”

Another lawyer wrote: “I used the Bank transfer option and it was successful. Try the bank transfer option”

Yet another lawyer suggested a change of personal details to enable payment, saying: “I changed my email and it worked. Thank you.”

The NBA leadership recently issued an update on the hiccups being experienced by lawyers while trying to pay the Bar Practising Fee.

In a document made available to CITY LAWYER and signed by the NBA General Secretary, Mr. Adesina Adegbite, the lawyers’ body wrote: “On behalf of the President and the National Executive Committee of our dear Association, I express our unreserved apologies for the difficulties experienced by our colleagues in the last few days over payment of Bar Practicing Fee (BPF). This was due to a technical glitch in the payment platform.”

Titled “UPDATE ON NBA BAR PRACTICE FEE (BPF) PAYMENT PORTAL” and issued on March 24, 2023, the NBA had assured that the challenges with the payment portal had been resolved, saying: “I am pleased to inform you that the NBA BPF Portal is now up and running. Members are advised to quickly visit the portal and make payment of BPF as appropriate.

“Once again, we sincerely apologise for the earlier hitches.”

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