FG inaugurates committee to review outdated Nigerian laws

Determined to review, update, and consolidate outdated Nigerian laws, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Thursday inaugurated a committee of law experts to undertake the task within six months.

This initiative is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ongoing efforts to promote the rule of law, enhance access to justice, and drive socioeconomic growth through legal reforms.

Inaugurating the committee on behalf of the federal government, the AGF urged them to be meticulous in their execution of the task at hand.

Fagbemi charged the committee to identify and update laws that no longer align with contemporary needs and values and harmonize conflicting laws to ensure uniformity and consistency.

He said: “I would like to inform you all that this is a project that is particularly dear to my heart, and I have always been concerned about our seeming inability to update the laws of the Federation (LFN) since 2004 to enable clarity, predictability, consistency, and uniformity in our body of laws.

“You are all aware that the general purpose of law is to protect public interest and regulate human behaviour and interactions between corporate entities.

“The law is constantly dynamic and evolving; hence, there is a need for continuous review or reform of our body of laws to address contemporary socio-economic developments and resolve conflicting and obsolete provisions with the ultimate aim of improving the administration of justice and promotion of the rule of law.

“As you are aware, the review, update, and consolidation of the Laws of the Federation, 2004 is long overdue in order to reflect and consolidate legislative developments (inclusive of repeals, amendments, and enactments) from 2004 till date, in furtherance of the law development mandate of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

“The expected key areas of focus for the Committee in the instant exercise are identification of outdated laws which are not in line with contemporary needs and values, as well as harmonization of conflicting laws, to ensure uniformity and consistency.

“This is with a view to attracting socio-economic growth and investment, promoting efficiency, and adapting to technological advancements.

“This Committee has been deliberately set up with individuals with vast professional experience and technical expertise in various aspects of the justice sector.

“I realize that there is a lot of work to be done, and I would like to thank you all for accepting the call to serve our nation in this capacity.

“Let me particularly express gratitude to the leadership of the National Assembly, the Nigeria Law Reform Commission, and the Nigerian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies for also supporting this initiative.

“Please be assured that the Federal Ministry of Justice will always be available to provide institutional support and assistance where required, in order to ensure that the Committee achieves its mandate.”

The Committee, which is chaired by Mr. Olawale Fapohunda (SAN) and co-chaired by the Chairman of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission, Prof. Jummai Audi, is charged with the following terms of reference:

“Coordinate the collection, collation, and compilation of LFN up to 2024; work with relevant government agencies in harmonizing the laws of the Federation up to 2024; and crosscheck, edit, and proofread all the legislations to be collected.

“Identify all legislation not included in the 2004 edition of the laws of the Federation and update same; identify outdated or redundant laws in the current laws of the Federation that need repeal and merge laws addressing related matters to eliminate redundancy.”

They are also required to prepare a comprehensive report of findings for the AGF and perform and undertake any lawful assignment incidental thereto.

“The time frame for completion of this national assignment shall be 6 months from the date of this inauguration. I enjoin the committee to make best efforts to deliver within the stated timeline.”

The AGF also urged the Committee to collaborate effectively and demonstrate patriotism, prioritizing the nation’s interests, while expressing optimism about receiving the report and draft volumes of the Laws of the Federation 2024, aligning with the federal government’s objectives.