The Federal Government of Nigeria has revised its stance on the legal aspects of the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership signed with the United Kingdom, following widespread public criticism over perceived one-sidedness in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two nations.
Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Nigerian Minister for Trade and Investment, took to social media platform X to retract the initial statement. In a thread, she clarified that there is no legal agreement allowing UK-licensed lawyers to practice in Nigeria. She stated, “Regrettably, our earlier report erroneously suggested that Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding that allows lawyers licensed in the United Kingdom to practice in Nigeria.”
The minister emphasized that there are no provisions in the MOU permitting UK lawyers to practice in Nigeria. She reiterated that Nigeria does not have a Mutual Recognition Agreement with the UK, making it clear that there is no commitment under the MOU or elsewhere to permit such practice. Foreign licensed lawyers, including those licensed in the UK, cannot practice in Nigeria under the current legal framework, a fact explicitly stated in the MOU.
Acknowledging ongoing discussions among stakeholders within the legal community in Nigeria regarding cross-jurisdictional practice, Uzoka-Anite noted that this aspect was reflected in the MOU.
Earlier statements from the UK’s Department of Business and Trade and Nigeria’s Minister of Trade and Investment had indicated that the agreement aimed to facilitate UK lawyers practicing international law in Nigeria. This revelation faced immediate backlash, with the Nigerian Bar Association condemning the purported agreement as “ridiculous, unpatriotic, and uninformed.”
