The Federal Government has established a working group tasked with reviewing the nation’s laws and recommending legislative reforms that will support the overall development of various aspects of Nigeria’s national life.
This initiative was announced by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), during a ceremony marking the commencement of the 2024/2025 New Legal Year.
According to Fagbemi, the primary focus of the working group is to thoroughly assess existing laws and suggest amendments or new legislation aimed at fostering growth and progress across different sectors of the country. The effort is seen as a crucial step in modernizing Nigeria’s legal framework to meet contemporary challenges.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR is aware of the concerns about the status of our laws and the urgent need to review the Laws of the Federation,” Fagbemi said.
“It is obvious that our laws need to respond to current developments not only nationally but also globally. Our desire to make rapid progress in all aspects of our socio-economic and indeed political life requires that we have enabling and empowering legislation. It is for this reason that the Federal Government has constituted a working group on the Review of the Laws of the Federation.”
The Working group is to be chaired by a former Attorney General of Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda (SAN).
Fapohunda has played a leading role in law reform interventions at the state and federal levels. He’s been instrumental in the enactment of several justice sector reform laws including the recent Judicial Remuneration Act which among other things increased the salaries of judicial officers by 300 percent.
Others are the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the Ekiti State Administration of Civil Justice Law, the Evidence Act (as amended), the Police Act (as amended) the Correctional Services Act, the National Human Rights Commission Act and the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria Act.
The last review of the Laws of the Federation was done in 2004 and the AGF while thanking the Chairman, Olawale Fapohunda and members of the working group for accepting to serve, said the FG is determined to deliver a revised Laws of the Federation by the commencement of the 2025 legal year.
