NEWS RELEASE

COMMUNIQUE
MEETING OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE BAR HELD AT HOTEL SEVENTEEN, KADUNA STATE ON THURSDAY, 7TH AUGUST, 2025

1. The meeting of the General Council of the Bar held on 7th August, 2025, at Hotel Seventeen Conference Centre, Kaduna State, to deliberate on critical issues regarding administering the general affairs of the Nigerian Bar Association in line with the Council’s mandate under section 1 Legal Practitioners Act.

2. The meeting began with the opening session wherein the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation emphasized the importance of repositioning and resuscitating the Bar Council as a body charged with the general management of the affairs of the Nigerian Bar Council.

3. Following conclusion of the opening ceremony, the meeting proceeded to the technical session to consider the reviewing the Rules of Professional Conduct, the NBA Policy on Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) under Rule 11 RPC, and Trade or Business incompatible with the status of a Legal Practitioner under Rule 7 RPC.

3. The General Council of the Bar (Council) noted that the Legal Practitioners Act regulates legal practice in Nigeria. However, there are gaps in the law which need to be addressed in the proposed amendment to the Legal Practitioners Act. That the President has sanctioned the development of the amendment to the Act and stakeholders have made input, with a view to addressing the gaps in the extant law.

4. Council observed with concern agitiations from various legal practitioners regarding the Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) being implemented by the NBA.

5. Accordingly, Council resolved as follows:

a. In view of the innovations and effectiveness of the current NBA, Council passed a vote of confidence on the progressive administration of the current NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN and encouraged the President of the NBA to continue to strive to adopt policies that improve legal practice in Nigeria.

b. Council also resolved that the NBA Programme on Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) which is currently being enforced is in line with the provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct.

c. Council approved that a Committee be set up to review the provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct and to identify and make recommendations to address any gaps contained therein.

5. Participants expressed gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Justice for its leadership role in strengthening the GCB. They expressed confidence that the implementation of these resolutions and commitments, arising from this meeting will contribute significantly to the advancement of the Bar Council and the Legal Profession.

Dated this ……7th ……day of August, 2025

Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN
President,
General Council of the Bar/
HAGF & MOJ

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