Uzoka-Anitie, Nigeria’s minister for trade and investment in a thread on X, tweeted today:
“Regrettably, our earlier report erroneously suggest that Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that allows lawyers licensed in the United Kingdom to practise in Nigeria.“
“We wish to state emphatically that there is no such provision or agreement in the MOU.”
The minister restated that Nigeria does not have a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the UK and made no commitment, under the MOU or elsewhere, to allow UK-licensed lawyers practise in Nigeria.
“As it currently stands, foreign licensed lawyers (including those licensed in the U.K.) cannot practice in Nigeria, as categorically stated in the MOU,” she said.
“We recognise that cross jurisdictional practice between Nigeria and the United Kingdom is still an on-going conversation amongst relevant stakeholders within the legal practitioners community in Nigeria, and this was reflected in the MOU.”