Nigeria’s Government Plans to Repeal 269 Outdated Laws Following Review

The Federal Government of Nigeria announced on Thursday that it will start the process of repealing 269 laws deemed outdated. This decision follows the presentation of a report from a committee that was formed to review the country’s laws.

The committee, led by Mr. Olawale Fapohunda, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and co-chaired by Professor Dakas Dakas, examined a total of 932 federal laws and 731 related regulations. They found that 663 laws should remain in effect, while 269 were identified as obsolete.

Fapohunda noted that many laws had not been thoroughly reviewed in nearly 20 years. He emphasized the need to update the legal system to reflect modern economic and technological changes. The committee aimed to remove outdated laws, resolve conflicting regulations, and ensure that the legal framework meets current needs.

The Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, described the report as a significant step in improving the justice system. He pointed out that the last major update of federal laws occurred in 2004, and since then, many changes have taken place in legislation and technology.

Fagbemi stressed the importance of making sure that the updated laws are clear and useful for courts, legal professionals, and the public. He mentioned that the next step is to present the report to the President, who will then forward it to the National Assembly for further consideration.

The Attorney General expressed hope that this effort will lead to a more regular process for updating laws in the future. He emphasized the need for ongoing collaboration between the Executive and the Legislature to keep the legal system current and effective.