In a significant move to deepen awareness and foster compliance with the Legal Practitioners’ Remuneration Order 2023 (LPRO 2023), the Remuneration Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Eket Branch, recently embarked on a proactive sensitization campaign. As part of this initiative, the committee held strategic meetings with key stakeholders, including the Executive Members of the Eket Real Estate Agents Association and leaders of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) operating within the jurisdiction.
The meetings were held with the aim of fostering partnership, encouraging adherence, and enlightening stakeholders on the objectives and provisions of the LPRO 2023—particularly as they pertain to documentation, conveyancing, and property transactions.
A Strategic Advocacy Initiative
The engagements focused on enlightening real estate professionals on the statutory fee structure now mandated by the Remuneration Order. The NBA Eket team highlighted the minimum standard fees that must be charged by legal practitioners for legal services, including land documentation, sale agreements, leases, and related legal instruments commonly used in the property sector.
Real estate agents were reminded of the legal necessity of engaging qualified legal practitioners for documentation processes and ensuring that lawyers are not underpaid or sidelined. The committee emphasized that the LPRO 2023 is binding, and failure to comply could attract sanctions, as it was gazetted under the authority of the Attorney-General of the Federation and forms part of the statutory framework for regulating legal fees in Nigeria.
Similarly, during their meeting with JUSUN officials, the NBA Eket Branch sought the support of judiciary staff in ensuring that documents presented in court comply with the provisions of the Remuneration Order—especially with respect to verification of appropriate endorsements, fee receipts, and statutory declarations.
Context: What Is the Legal Practitioners’ Remuneration Order 2023?
The LPRO 2023, signed into law in accordance with the Legal Practitioners Act, was designed to address the long-standing challenge of the underpricing of legal services and the marginalization of legal practitioners, especially in commercial transactions.
This landmark Order stipulates minimum fees for various legal services, including:
- Sale and conveyance of land;
- Preparation of deeds, agreements, and leases;
- Legal advisory services;
- Commercial documentation;
- Corporate legal work.
It provides a structured and enforceable fee schedule, empowering lawyers to charge professional fees that reflect the value and risks of their work, while protecting clients through transparency and predictability.
Leadership That Works: Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and Chief Emeka Obegolu, SAN
The current administration of the NBA, under the visionary leadership of Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has shown remarkable commitment to protecting the professional dignity of Nigerian lawyers. Since assuming office, the President has prioritized the implementation and enforcement of the LPRO 2023 as a core agenda of his tenure.
To ensure this vision becomes reality, he appointed Chief Emeka Obegolu, SAN, as Chairman of the NBA National Remuneration Committee—a choice widely hailed as strategic and effective. Under Chief Obegolu’s direction, the committee has initiated broad-based sensitization, stakeholder engagement, and policy advocacy across NBA branches nationwide. From workshops and webinars to in-person town halls, the committee has maintained unwavering focus on ensuring that the LPRO is understood, implemented, and enforced.
The Way Forward
The proactive engagement by the NBA Eket Branch stands as a model for other branches to emulate. By taking the message of fair remuneration to the grassroots—where lawyers interact daily with clients, property dealers, and court staff—the branch has contributed significantly to the actualization of a more equitable legal practice environment.
The initiative has also received commendation from senior members of the Bar and is in line with the broader vision of the NBA leadership to restore the integrity of legal practice, elevate professional standards, and ensure sustainable livelihoods for Nigerian lawyers, especially at the grassroots.
The NBA Eket Remuneration Committee reaffirmed its commitment to continuous engagement, monitoring, and collaboration to guarantee full compliance with the Remuneration Order, while urging all stakeholders to support this reform as a necessary step toward professional justice and economic dignity.
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