On Thursday, July 9, 2026. The senate in a major legislative milestone, has officially passed two critical pieces of legislation aimed at modernizing Nigeria’s judiciary and bolstering its anti-corruption architecture: the Legal Practitioners Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2026 and the Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management (Amendment) Bill 2026.
The passage of both bills followed the comprehensive presentation and consideration of reports submitted by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, chaired by Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN.
The Legal Practitioners Bill seeks to repeal the outdated existing act to establish a contemporary, transparent, and credible regulatory framework for the nation’s legal sector.
The legal profession is the backbone of the rule of law, and Nigeria deserves a constitutional framework that reflects this.
Senator Adegbonmire.
He emphasized that the committee’s rigorous scrutiny and subsequent amendments will significantly strengthen professional regulation and improve public access to justice.
The Senate also greenlit the Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management Amendment Bill, which mandates the creation of a dedicated Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management Agency.
Boasting full legal personality, this new agency will centralize and oversee the recovery, preservation, management, and disposal of all properties suspected to be the proceeds of unlawful activities across Nigeria.
“This bill addresses a genuine and urgent gap in Nigeria’s anti-corruption architecture,” Adegbonmire noted, adding that its provisions directly serve the public interest.
Following a meticulous clause-by-clause consideration of both bills in the Committee of the Whole, the Senate successfully passed the legislations through their third readings.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the Judiciary Committee for their diligence and praised the lawmakers for their overwhelming support of these institutional reforms.
“I pray that those implementing these laws will act with probity, accountability, and integrity in the best interest of Nigeria,” Akpabio stated, underscoring the Senate’s commitment to fortifying the nation’s legal and governance frameworks.
