The Senate has passed the Legal Practitioners Act Repeal and Re-enactment Bill 2026 and the Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management Amendment Bill 2026, marking another step toward strengthening Nigeria’s legal and anti-corruption frameworks.
The bills were approved after the Senate considered reports presented by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, chaired by Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire.
Presenting the committee’s findings, Adegbonmire said the Legal Practitioners Bill seeks to replace the existing Legal Practitioners Act with an updated legal framework that reflects current realities in the regulation of the legal profession.
He explained that the committee carried out an extensive review of the proposed legislation and recommended several amendments aimed at improving professional regulation, promoting transparency and enhancing access to justice.
According to the senator, the legal profession plays a vital role in upholding the rule of law, making it necessary to establish a modern, credible and constitutionally compliant regulatory system.
The committee also recommended the passage of the Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management Amendment Bill after making relevant amendments during its legislative review.
Adegbonmire said the proposed legislation provides for the establishment of a Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management Agency with the legal authority to recover, preserve, manage and dispose of assets suspected to have been acquired through unlawful activities.
He noted that the new agency is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts by addressing existing gaps in the management of recovered assets and ensuring greater accountability.
Following the presentation of the reports, the Senate considered both bills clause by clause in the Committee of the Whole before adopting the recommendations, passing the bills for a third reading and approving them.
Speaking after the passage of the legislation, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the Judiciary Committee for its detailed examination of the bills and praised lawmakers for supporting the proposed reforms.
Akpabio expressed confidence that the new laws would reinforce Nigeria’s legal and institutional systems while urging those responsible for implementing them to uphold transparency, accountability and integrity in carrying out their responsibilities.
