To: The Honourable Commissioners for Lands, (All States in Nigeria),
Dear Honourable Commissioner,
We are pleased to formally inform you about the Legal Practitioners’ Remuneration Order 2023 (the “Order”), which came into effect on 16 May 2023.
This Order was signed by the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice in his capacity as the Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Committee, under the Legal Practitioners Act (Cap L11, LFN 2004).
It establishes a standardized framework for the remuneration of legal practitioners, ensuring fairness, transparency, and consistency within the legal services sector.
The NBA Remuneration Committee is dedicated to enforcing the Order, which regulates the professional fees for legal services rendered, including property transactions and advisory services.
However, we have noted instances of inconsistent adherence to the Order during the filing of legal instruments at various land registries.
Specifically, discrepancies between the execution year on documents submitted for registration and the year on the legal practitioner’s seal have been observed, potentially undermining the enforcement of the Order.
To uphold the integrity of legal practice and ensure fair compensation for legal services, we recommend the following measures for immediate implementation at your esteemed land registry:
1. Year of Execution of Conveyances: All legal instruments presented for registration must reflect the same year for both the execution of the conveyance and the year on the legal practitioner’s seal.
Any discrepancies should be flagged and reported to this committee, and conveyance registration should be declined until rectified.
2. Attachment of Recent NBA Stamps:All legal documents submitted for registration must bear the recent and valid NBA stamps of the legal practitioner(s) involved in the transaction to ensure accountability and compliance.
As a key stakeholder in land administration within your state, your support in enforcing the 2023 NBA Remuneration Order is vital.
Your collaboration in ensuring that all submitted documents accurately reflect the current submission year and place the requisite NBA stamps will significantly enhance the implementation of this Order and promote a more transparent legal environment.
We are confident that your office will take the necessary steps to communicate these directives to all relevant personnel within your land registry. We eagerly anticipate your proactive engagement in this important matter.
Thank you for your unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and supporting the legal profession in Nigeria.
Yours faithfully,
CHIEF EMEKA OBEGOLU, PhD., SAN
Chair, NBA Remuneration Committee
RACHAEL PRINCEWILL
Secretary
NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION (NBA) BWARI BRANCH: 2025 Elections of Branch Officers
