A bilateral trade agreement that may open up the Nigerian legal market to U.K. law firms offers major opportunities to international legal institutions but limited options to African firms local lawyers believe.
The proposal to allow British-qualified lawyers to practise freely in Nigeria, and vice versa, is part of the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership agreement (ETIP), recently signed by Nigeria and UK trade ministers. But is has sparked significant controversy, with many legal practitioners argue that it reflects a form of neo-colonialism and could undermine local lawyers’ livelihoods.
