The federal government is in the process of doing away with 268 federal laws found to be obsolete, ar-chaic, and spent, while at the same time pushing for the upgrade of 664 others to international standard. This follows the submission of a report by the Law Re-view Committee set up two years ago by Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Jus-tice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
The reviewed laws of Nigeria spanned 2004 to 2025.
According to the AGF, the relevant laws are to be transmitted by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly for consideration in line with best interna-tional standards.
Fagbemi, while receiving the report from Chairman of the committee, Olawale Fapounda, SAN, on Thursday in Abuja, stated that the Laws of the Federation must serve as a reliable reference for the courts, legal practi-tioners, public institutions, investors, and the general public.
He stated, “I am informed that the committee exam-ined 932 federal enactments and 731 subsidiary legis-lations. Of the 932 enactments considered, 664, to-gether with their relevant subsidiary legislation, have been identified for inclusion in the LFN 2025, while 268 were identified as obsolete, spent or repealed. These outcomes represent substantial progress to-wards providing the country with an updated and con-solidated body of Federal laws,”
Fagbemi, however, stated with sadness that the last official review of the laws of the federation was under-taken in 2004, adding that more than 20 years have since elapsed during which Nigeria has witnessed sig-nificant legislative, constitutional, institutional and technological developments.
He said several new enactments and amendments had accumulated over the period, making a comprehen-sive review imperative to ensure that the body of fed-eral laws remained coherent, current, accessible and responsive to the needs of the country.
According to him, the review, update and consolida-tion of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria is a major undertaking and a significant milestone in the federal government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the justice sector and modernise the legal framework.
Having identified the flaws in the laws the AGF ex-plained that the next step was to present the report to President Bola Tinubu for onward transmission to the National Assembly for the necessary legislative con-sideration and action.
He said the gap of more than 20 years, when the laws were last reviewed, and the present exercise should not be repeated in the country because of the nega-tive consequences on the general development of the country.
Fagbemi stated, “We must strengthen our capacity to track new enactments, amendments and subsidiary legislation so that our laws remain current and respon-sive to emerging developments.
“Ultimately, our objective is to build a modern, coher-ent and accessible legal framework that promotes the rule of law, strengthens the administration of justice, supports effective governance, protects the rights of citizens and contributes to national development and security.
“In this regard, I particularly look forward to the coop-eration and support of the members of the National Assembly, especially those present here, in facilitating the timely consideration of the proposed legislative measures.”
The AGF added, “The successful conclusion of this ex-ercise will require the continued collaboration of the Executive and the Legislature.
“Beyond the immediate task of producing the Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2025, we must also ensure that this exercise establishes a sustainable foundation for the periodic review and updating of our laws.”
The minister commended the committee for the struc-tured approach adopted in executing its mandate, adding that work is undertaken through 14 thematic Working Groups and supported by a series of retreats and technical engagements across different locations.
He stated, “I commend the chairman and members of the committee for the diligence, commitment and pro-fessionalismdemonstrated in discharging this respon-sibility, particularly in the face of the logistical and technical challenges encountered.”
According to him, the engagements provided oppor-tunities to review the work, harmonise the outputs of the various groups, benchmark international best practices and strengthen the quality assurance pro-cess.
He acknowledged the contributions of development partners and collaborating institutions, including the ROLAC Programme, the Law Commission of England and Wales, LexisNexis South Africa, Lagos State Law Reform Commission, and Law Pavilion for the support that made the law review a reality.
Fagbemi said, “Their technical expertise, institutional support and contributions to the review process have been invaluable. We appreciate their partnership and commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s legal frame-work.
“While we commend the progress made, the quality, accuracy and practical utility of the final publication must remain our priority.”
Earlier, the chairman of the committee disclosed that it took his committee more than two years to review, harmonise and consolidate the federal legislation.
He identified several areas requiring further legislative attention, including archaic statutory language, cum-bersome cross references, outdated chapter numbers, and inconsistencies in the sequencing of some acts.
Fapounda thanked the federal government for finding his committee members worthy to undertake the task of reviewing the federal laws.
Alex Enumah in Abuja
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