The Nigerian Bar Association – Institute of Continuing Legal Education (NBA-ICLE) has announced that every lawyer must obtain at least five (5) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points to renew their practice licences and obtain official seals for the 2026 legal year.
This new requirement reflects a global shift in professional regulation, where continuing education is a condition for maintaining active practice. Jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, United States, and South Africa have long enforced similar standards, ensuring lawyers remain equipped to meet the demands of evolving legal practice.
What CPD Means
CPD, or Continuing Professional Development, refers to structured learning programmes designed to expand lawyers’ knowledge, sharpen practice skills, and reinforce ethical and professional standards.
In Nigeria, CPD points are assigned to accredited training programmes based on their duration, subject matter, and relevance. For example, a two-hour structured session may qualify for one CPD point. Lawyers are required to accumulate and document their participation to meet the five-point threshold for licence renewal.
Rationale and Impact
Analysts say the NBA-ICLE’s move underscores the importance of professional competence in a fast-changing legal environment. Nigerian lawyers today must grapple with emerging areas such as financial technology regulation, arbitration, energy law, data protection, and ESG compliance.
Mandatory CPD is also expected to enhance the credibility of the Nigerian legal profession, particularly in cross-border transactions where international clients demand demonstrable standards of excellence.
Upcoming Training
To support compliance, the NBA-ICLE has scheduled a training session this Friday, attracting one CPD point. Registration details are available via the official portal: Formation Exceptionelle – CPD Training.
Lawyers or their associates are encouraged to register early, as the session contributes directly to the required CPD credits for the 2026 renewal cycle.
Kenya
In Kenya, all practising advocates must complete a minimum of 5 CPD units before renewing their annual practising certificates. This requirement is embedded in Kenyan law through Regulation 11 of the Advocates Act (Continuous Professional Development) Regulation, 2004.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) oversees the administration of the CPD programme. LSK’s CPD Committee accredits providers, develops a calendar of events, including seminars and lectures, and monitors compliance.
Ghana
Ghana is also moving to make professional development a precondition for licence renewal. As announced by the Chief Justice, lawyers will be required to complete at least 12 hours of professional development per year before renewing their practising licences.
This planned requirement is grounded in the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 2020 (Legislative Instrument 2423), and is expected to become law once the Legal Profession Bill is enacted.
Next Steps
With less than a year before the renewal window opens, legal practitioners are advised to begin accumulating CPD points steadily to avoid last-minute pressures or potential disruption of practice rights.
