The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), through its Institute of Continuing Legal Education (NBA-ICLE), has issued a firm directive to all practicing lawyers in the country: comply with the 2025 Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) Rules or lose your practice license and NBA stamp in the upcoming 2026 legal year.
In a notice dated June 11, 2025, signed by NBA-ICLE Board Chairman Prof. Festus Emiri, SAN, and Secretary Prof. C.V. Odoeme, the association emphasized that the new requirement is part of a broader effort to elevate the Nigerian legal profession to global standards.
Under the MCPD Rules, lawyers must earn a minimum of five Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit hours annually. These can be obtained through various accredited activities, including:
• Participating in the NBA Annual General Conference
• Attending NBA Branch CPD events
• Completing online courses through the NBA-ICLE platform
• Publishing approved legal articles in NBA journals
The notice warns that beginning with the 2026 legal year, only lawyers who meet the CPD requirements and pay their annual practicing fees on time will be issued practice licenses and NBA stamps. These stamps are essential for signing legal documents, filing cases, and representing clients in court.
Failure to comply will result in a lawyer’s name being excluded from the annual practicing list, effectively barring them from legal practice, as mandated by Rules 12(3)(a)-(b) of the 2023 Rules of Professional Conduct and Rule 23 of the 2025 NBA MCPD Rules.
To assist lawyers in meeting the CPD threshold, NBA-ICLE has made available a wide array of training options, including webinars, courses, and seminars. These are accessible at www.nbaicle.org, with inquiries directed to [email protected] or [email protected].
The NBA strongly urges lawyers to act now, familiarize themselves with the MCPD requirements, enroll in approved programs, and settle outstanding fees promptly to avoid professional setbacks.
