FG reverses decision on allowing UK lawyers practise in Nigeria

Business a.m

The Nigerian government has retracted an earlier statement regarding the legal implications of the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) signed with the United Kingdom, specifically on the issue of UK-licensed lawyers practising law in Nigeria.

The retraction of the statement comes in the wake of criticism from the Nigerian public, who questioned the one-sided nature of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the UK.

Doris Uzoka-Anite,the Nigerian minister for trade and investment, clarified in a post on her X handle, that there was no such legal agreement between the two countries.

The post, made on Tuesday, February 13, read: “Earlier today, Nigeria signed a far-reaching MOU with the United Kingdom for Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership. It is a robust partnership understanding which promises to be a springboard for immense growth in trade relations with the United Kingdom.

The Partnership was well thought-out and painstakingly negotiated by Nigerian experts across various sectors.

It touched on areas of mutual business interests including finance, technical barriers to trade, healthcare, investment, customs and trade facilitation, agriculture, intellectual property, creative industry and legal services – to mention a few.

Regrettably, our earlier report erroneously suggests that Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (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 clarified that Nigeria does not have a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the United Kingdom. She added that this was made clear in the MoU, and that the Nigerian government has not made any commitment to allow UK-licensed lawyers to practice in Nigeria.

“As it currently stands, foreign licensed lawyers (including those licensed in the U.K.) cannot practice in Nigeria, as categorically stated in the MOU,” she added.

The minister acknowledged that there is still a conversation taking place among legal practitioners in Nigeria about the possibility of cross-jurisdictional practice with the UK,which was reflected in the terms of the MoU.