Fapohunda, SAN, to Lead Review of Laws of the Federation

Steve Aya

The immediate past Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda, SAN, has been appointed to Chair the Federal Government of Nigeria Working Group to review the Laws of the Federation, and propose legislation that will promote development across all sectors of national life.

This announcement was made by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN,  during the commencement ceremony of the 2024/2025 New Legal Year.

According to Prince Fagbemi, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is cognisant of the concerns surrounding the current state of the nation’s laws, and the pressing need for a comprehensive review. “Our laws need to respond to current developments, not only nationally, but also globally. Our desire to make rapid progress in all aspects of our socio-economic and indeed, political life, requires that we have enabling and empowering legislation”, the AGF stated.

Olawale Fapohunda, SAN, according to the AGF, has been instrumental in various law reform efforts, at both State and Federal levels. “Mr Fapohunda played a key role in the passage of several justice sector reform laws, including the Judicial Remuneration Act, which significantly increased the salaries of judicial officers by 300%. He also contributed to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Ekiti State Administration of Civil Justice Law, amendments to the Evidence Act, the Police Act, the Correctional Services Act, the National Human Rights Commission Act, and the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria Act’’.

The last comprehensive review of the Laws of the Federation occurred in 2004, making this initiative a much-needed step towards modernising Nigeria’s legal framework. The AGF expressed gratitude to Mr Fapohunda and the other members of the Working Group for their service, and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to delivering a revised set of laws by the start of the 2025 legal year.

The establishment of this Working Group signifies the Federal Government’s dedication to ensuring that Nigeria’s laws are up-to-date, responsive to current challenges, and capable of fostering development across all sectors of the nation. The outcome of this review is expected to have far-reaching implications for the country’s socio-economic and political landscape, the AGF further added.