Human Rights activist and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has criticised the newly announced application fees for the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), warning that the cost could make the prestigious title unattainable for honest and hardworking lawyers.
In a post shared on his X handle, @ChidiOdinkalu, on Monday, the public interest advocate disclosed that prospective SAN applicants in private practice are now required to pay a non-refundable ₦5 million, while those in government service will pay ₦2.5 million.
Ok, so the next round of applications to become SAN in Nigeria will cost practitioners ₦5m non-refundable. Public servants interested will cough up ₦2.5m. Please, how do they expect an honest public servant to find this? Very soon they will price SAN into extinction, Odinkalu wrote.
His remarks followed the circulation of a document reportedly issued by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), dated November 3, 2025, announcing the commencement of the 2026 conferment process. The circular, which began circulating online on Sunday, has sparked questions within legal circles about its authenticity and how it was leaked.
According to the document, applications are to be submitted online via www.lppconline.com, with the portal set to open on November 1, 2025. The LPPC also listed two bank accounts — one with Zenith Bank and the other with GTBank — for the required payments.
Applicants are expected to upload their materials digitally and submit five flash drives containing all supporting documents to the LPPC Secretariat located within the Supreme Court Complex.
