Nigeria Drops 269 Obsolete Laws: Modernizing Federal Statutes

• Nigeria's Federal Government has identified 269 federal enactments as obsolete, spent, or repealed.
• These laws will be excluded from the upcoming Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2025, following a review of 932 federal enactments and 731 subsidiary legislations.
• Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi announced the findings, emphasizing the need to update the country's legal framework last consolidated in 2004.
• A committee, formed on October 24, 2024, conducted extensive research and analysis to achieve this consolidation.
• The final report will be submitted to President Bola Tinubu for legislative action by the National Assembly.

This comprehensive review was deemed essential to ensure the body of federal laws remains coherent, current, accessible, and responsive to the nation's evolving requirements.

Nigeria's Federal Government has announced a major restructuring of its legal framework, identifying 269 federal enactments as obsolete, spent, or repealed. These specific laws are slated for exclusion from the forthcoming Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2025 (LFN 2025), marking a critical step in modernizing the nation's statutes. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), revealed this development during the presentation of the final report from the Committee on the Review, Update and Consolidation of the Laws of the Federation in Abuja.

This extensive review process encompassed a total of 932 federal enactments and 731 subsidiary legislations. Out of these, 663 enactments, along with their associated subsidiary legislation, have been deemed suitable for inclusion in the revised LFN 2025. The identification of the 269 defunct laws represents substantial progress towards providing Nigeria with a consolidated and updated body of federal laws, ensuring greater clarity and relevance for legal practitioners and citizens alike.

The Attorney General, Lateef Fagbemi, established the Committee on the Review, Update and Consolidation of the Laws of the Federation on October 24, 2024. Its core mandate included a thorough examination of federal enactments and subsidiary legislation, pinpointing obsolete laws, resolving inconsistencies and overlaps, and ultimately producing an authoritative and easily accessible edition of the country's laws. The committee, expertly chaired by Olawale Fapohunda (SAN), undertook a comprehensive and rigorous assignment.

The committee's work involved extensive legal research, detailed legislative analysis, technical coordination, and meticulous editorial efforts. To manage the complexity of the task, a structured approach was adopted, featuring 14 thematic working groups. These groups were supported by various retreats and technical engagements, all designed to harmonize outputs and ensure the highest standards of quality assurance. The success of this initiative was also bolstered by the contributions of several development partners and collaborating institutions, including the ROLAC Programme, the Law Commission of England and Wales, LexisNexis South Africa, the Lagos State Law Reform Commission, and Law Pavilion.

The imperative for this comprehensive review stemmed from the significant passage of time since the last official consolidation of the Laws of the Federation, which occurred in 2004. Over two decades have elapsed since that last update, a period during which Nigeria experienced considerable legislative, constitutional, institutional, and technological advancements. The accumulation of numerous new enactments and amendments over these years made a thorough review absolutely essential.

This comprehensive review was deemed essential to ensure the body of federal laws remains coherent, current, accessible, and responsive to the nation's evolving requirements. The Attorney General underscored that without such an exercise, the legal framework risked becoming disjointed and difficult to navigate, hindering effective governance and legal practice across the country.

Following the successful completion of the committee's work, the final report is now set to be presented to President Bola Tinubu. The President will then transmit the report to the National Assembly for legislative consideration and necessary action. This crucial next phase will require sustained collaboration between the Executive and the Legislature to ensure the updated legal framework is formally adopted and implemented.

Attorney General Fagbemi also issued a strong caution against allowing another extended period to pass between consolidations. He stressed the critical need for establishing a sustainable mechanism for continuously updating the country's laws, preventing a recurrence of the more than twenty-year gap that necessitated the current extensive review. This forward-looking approach aims to maintain the currency and effectiveness of Nigeria's legal system for generations to come.

Lawyers and compliance officers in Nigeria must prepare to update their legal research and advice, as 269 federal enactments have been identified as obsolete or repealed for the upcoming Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2025. This necessitates a review of current legal opinions and compliance frameworks to avoid reliance on defunct legislation and ensure adherence to the consolidated legal framework.

Source: Original reporting via Punch Newspaper.