Author: Lawbreed Limited

The 17th President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Mr Innocent Ohagwa, has charged legal practitioners seeking to become tax professionals to uphold the highest standards of technical competence, professionalism, and ethical integrity as Nigeria implements far-reaching fiscal reforms. The President delivered the remarks during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Virtual Legal Practitioners’ Conversion Training Programme. The Legal Practitioners’ Conversion Training Programme is organised by the CITN Tax Academy to equip legal professionals with skills to operate as tax professionals. Mr Ohagwa noted that the taxation environment in Nigeria “is undergoing profound transformation”. He highlighted that four…

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives following the defection of six more lawmakers on Thursday, just weeks after attaining the same status in the Senate. Five members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Enugu State and one Labour Party (LP) lawmaker from Plateau State announced their defection to the APC during plenary, further boosting the ruling party’s numerical strength in the Green Chamber. The two-thirds majority threshold in the 360-member House is 240. With the latest defections, the APC now commands 243 seats, while the PDP has dropped to…

Human Rights activist and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has criticised the newly announced application fees for the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), warning that the cost could make the prestigious title unattainable for honest and hardworking lawyers. In a post shared on his X handle, @ChidiOdinkalu, on Monday, the public interest advocate disclosed that prospective SAN applicants in private practice are now required to pay a non-refundable ₦5 million, while those in government service will pay ₦2.5 million. Ok, so the next round of applications to become SAN in Nigeria will…

The federal government has reaffirmed that all lawyers and law firms are legally required to remit the 7.5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) under the new tax reform law, which is set to take effect on January 1, 2026. According to the government, legal practitioners provide professional services that clearly fall within the taxable category of the new fiscal framework. The government clarified that traders, military personnel, workers earning below N800,000 annually, and small businesses with a turnover of N100 million or less are exempt from VAT. Where VAT is wrongly charged to…

The Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji has commended the Nigerian judiciary for what he called “sound and consistent” tax rulings that have helped shape the nation’s fiscal landscape. Speaking at a capacity-building workshop for Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and Judges of the Federal High Court on new tax laws, the FIRS Chairman commended the National Judicial Institute (NJI) for organizing the event, describing it as “timely and essential.” According to him, the introduction of new tax laws, including amendments to the Finance Acts, the Petroleum Industry Act, and other subsidiary…

There is palpable disquiet in legal circles following a steep 400 per cent increase of the processing fee for the coveted rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) from N1 million to N5 million. This emerged following a notice issued by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) announcing commencement of the application process for the 2026 award exercise. In a public notice issued and signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the Committee, Mr. Kabir Eniola Akanbi, the LPPC stated that the call for applications is being made pursuant to the combined provisions of Section…

The sole principal of an immigration firm has been struck off after he admitted misappropriating more than £160,000 of clients’ money. Charles Ogbonna Azotam, admitted on 17 June 2013, established Charles Hill & Co Solicitors, in Camberwell, London, in August 2017. He was the sole principal at the firm. Azotam transferred £20,000 and then a further £5,000 of client funds to the firm’s business account and then from there to another firm to settle a personal debt. A further £9,265 was transferred from the firm’s client account to the firm’s business account and on the same day a payment of…

Today, we celebrate the remarkable life of a father in the legal profession and a revered past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (1998 – 2000), Chief T.J. Omonigbo Okpoko, OON, SAN, FCIArb, as he turns 94. Chief Okpoko’s life has been one of purpose, service, and enduring dedication to the advancement of justice and legal excellence in Nigeria. His leadership at the Bar and his contributions to the legal profession remain deeply respected and cherished. He is a mentor to many, Chief Okpoko has shaped the lives of countless lawyers with his wisdom and integrity. On this momentous occasion,…

Madagascar’s new government has stripped ousted president Andry Rajoelina of his Malagasy nationality in a decree published Friday, media reports said, 10 days after he was removed in a military takeover. The decree means that Rajoelina — who was impeached on October 14 after fleeing the island nation in the wake of weeks of protests — would not be able to contest future elections. The decree published in the official gazette said Rajoelina’s Malagasy nationality was revoked because he had acquired French nationality in 2014, local media reported, as photographs of the document were shared online. French broadcaster RFI said…

President Bola Tinubu has described Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force “grey list” as a strategic victory for the nation’s economy and financial governance. The FATF, the global watchdog on money laundering and terrorist financing, announced Nigeria’s delisting at its October 2025 Plenary in Paris, France, on Friday. This followed the country’s full implementation of a 19-point action plan aimed at strengthening its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism framework. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the development was “not just a technical accomplishment but a…