“NBA’s CPD Policy is a Direct Attack on Lawyers’ Livelihood” — Jimoh Hameed Ajibola Esq Begins Change.org Petition Against NBA
A storm of controversy is brewing within Nigeria’s legal community as prominent lawyer, Jimoh Hameed Ajibola, Esq., spearheads a petition against the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) move to enforce a compulsory paid Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme as a condition for legal practice. The petition, published on Change.org, has already gathered 114 signatures from Nigerian lawyers.
The NBA’s new policy mandates that lawyers must accumulate 5 points of CPD each year to retain their practicing licenses. Failure to comply — even after paying the official practicing fees — would effectively bar them from practicing law.
In his petition, Ajibola describes the policy as “a direct attack on lawyers’ livelihood,” arguing that it imposes an unrealistic financial and logistical burden on legal practitioners, particularly those in rural and economically disadvantaged areas.
“While continuous professional development is essential, making it a compulsory, paid requirement that determines whether a lawyer can practice is both unfair and legally questionable,” Ajibola stated.
The petition further challenges the NBA’s authority to enforce such a policy, pointing out that the Legal Practitioners’ Act of 2004 vests regulatory powers in the Nigerian government, not a private association like the NBA.
“This is not just a policy issue; it is a matter of access to justice,” the petition states. “Many lawyers serve marginalized communities where legal services are already scarce. Preventing these lawyers from practicing will only deepen the justice gap.”
Ajibola and the petition’s supporters are calling on the NBA leadership and government stakeholders to immediately revoke the policy and pursue alternative, inclusive models of professional development that acknowledge the economic realities faced by lawyers nationwide.
The petition can be viewed at: https://chng.it/vYJrj4g5kw
