The Federal Government has withdrawn an earlier statement insinuating that United Kingdom-trained lawyers could practise in Nigeria.
Minister of Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, in the statement, had highlighted that the affected professionals lawyers could practise following an Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP), signed by Nigeria and the UK on Tuesday.
However, after fierce criticisms, particularly by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Uzoka-Anite recoiled.
In a series of posts on her X account, the minister said: “Earlier today, Nigeria signed a far-reaching Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Kingdom for Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership.
“Regrettably, our earlier report erroneously suggests that Nigeria has signed an 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.”
Uzoka-Anite explained that the most populous black nation does not have a Mutual Recognition Agreement with the UK, let alone make a 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 UK) cannot practise in Nigeria, as categorically stated in the MoU.
“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,” she added.
The NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, had condemned the purported agreement, stating that the statement credited to the minister was “ridiculous, unpatriotic and uninformed.”
He denied the association’s knowledge of or input in the pact.
Maikyau insisted that the NBA made no prior input or contribution to the agreement, as reportedly claimed by the Federal Government.
He flayed the government for allegedly undermining local lawyers and their dependents without consultation.
The NBA boss maintained that the ETIP deal “is totally unacceptable, as it relates to the legal profession.”
He said senior lawyers have met to challenge the legality of the pact.
Maikyau called on practitioners nationwide to unite against what he described as incursion into the legal space, vowing not to allow it to stand.
