The 2025 Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference, which has just concluded in Enugu, provided yet another defining moment for the legal profession as the NBA Remuneration Committee, led by its Chairman, Chief Emeka Obegolu, SAN, placed the Legal Practitioners’ Remuneration (For Business, Legal Services and Representation) Order 2023 at the heart of discussions.
So, what does this mean for Nigerian lawyers going forward?
At the well-attended opening ceremony, Chief Obegolu stressed that the Remuneration Order, which came into effect on May 16, 2023, is not just a policy document but a legal instrument designed to restore dignity to the profession, eliminate the culture of undercharging, and protect both lawyers and clients through a standardized fee regime.
He explained that the Order provides clear minimum benchmarks for various legal services, ranging from consultations and documentation to property transactions and litigation, ensuring that lawyers are adequately compensated while clients enjoy transparency and fairness.
Obegolu noted that the Committee has since rolled out an extensive awareness and enforcement campaign, including circulars, webinars, and digital resources, to ensure that practitioners across Nigeria fully understand the provisions and apply them in practice.
He further disclosed that state judiciaries, such as Akwa Ibom, have already begun enforcing the order by making it mandatory in land documentation processes. The Committee has also engaged the Enugu State House of Assembly on integrating the Remuneration Order into its forthcoming Landlord, Tenant Law. These steps, he said, are proof to the growing institutional adoption of the framework.
The Senior Advocate did not shy away from addressing compliance. He reminded the profession that any lawyer who continues to ignore the Order risks disciplinary action before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee or even prosecution, as the Order is binding on all practitioners nationwide.
Beyond enforcement, however, Obegolu emphasized that the Remuneration Order is a unifying benchmark that will not only protect the bar’s collective interest but also elevate public perception of the value of legal services.
To dispel misinformation, the Committee has cautioned lawyers to rely only on the gazetted copy of the Order issued by the General Council of the Bar, warning that counterfeit versions are in circulation. The authentic document, he said, has been officially published and made available to all lawyers through the NBA portal, NBA Email platform, and related communication channels.
With the Enugu conference now concluded, one message is clear: the Remuneration Order is no longer a matter of debate but of daily practice, and compliance with it will determine how the legal profession repositions itself for dignity, fairness, and sustainability in Nigeria’s changing economy.
Attached below is the verified gazetted copy of the Remuneration Order for lawyers to study and adopt in their practice:
👉 Download the Official Legal Practitioners’ Remuneration Order 2023 (Gazetted Copy)
Signed:
Chief Emeka Obegolu, SAN
Chairman, NBA Remuneration Committee
