The Committee on Review, Revision and Consolidation of Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, set up by the Federal Government to review and update outdated laws, has said that since its inauguration last year, it has reviewed 697 out of the mandated 737 laws.
The committee further disclosed that it has only 40 outstanding laws left to review, and the committee is poised to deliver all 737 before the end of 2025.
The Chairman of the Committee Mr Olawale Fapohunda (SAN), stated this on Monday in Abuja, at the opening of the second retreat of the committee on review, revision and consolidation of laws of the federation.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had in October 2024, inaugurated a committee of law experts to review and update outdated Nigerian laws as a step to promoting the rule of law and access to justice in the country.
The AGF stated that while the law is constantly dynamic and evolving, it has been an issue of concern to him how the laws of the federation have not been updated since 2004.
The AGF also said the committee will work with relevant government agencies, within four months, to coordinate the collection, collation, and compilation of the LFN up to 2024.
Fapohunda, a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti state and the chairman of the committee, in his remarks at the second retreat of the committee, stated that the recognition of the enormity and importance of the assignment spurred members of various skills and qualifications to be on the same page and work hard towards submission of the draft in 2025.
He also said the approach has been inclusive and consultative, including getting input from broad stakeholders in order to deliver on time and meet Nigerians’ expectations.
“The committee mandate is to review 737 laws of the federation, but we have so far completed 697 with 40 more outstanding to go.
“Our approach has been inclusive and consultative with the intention to engage NBA and other broadways of stakeholders. We are open and available for engagement, and we are on course to deliver timely and meet the expectations of Nigerians,” Fapohunda said.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), in his opening remarks, expressed gratitude to the members of the Committee for their selfless service and sacrifice, to ensure that the project is executed efficiently and effectively.
This second retreat, according to Fagbemi, is a strategic consolidation of the nation’s law reform efforts.
“The next stage of the law review and consolidation process would include editing and proofreading the reviewed legislation ahead of the final collation, production, and printing of the laws of the federation. It is my conviction that these phases will be executed with even greater commitment by the Committee, with the support of stakeholders and development partners.
“The call to be part of this assignment is indeed a sacred one that inevitably and positively affects the lives of individuals, government, businesses, as well as citizens of this nation.
“The general purpose of law is to regulate human behaviour by protecting lives and property in society. The inauguration of the Committee on the 24th of October, 2024, marked a historic milestone in our collective efforts to modernize, consolidate, and harmonize Nigeria’s body of federal statutes.
“The retreat successfully provided a clear framework for the structure and methodology of the revision exercise, oriented the 14 Working Groups tasked with reviewing specific legal subject areas, and fostered collaboration among key institutions and stakeholders on the project, “the AGF said.
The representative of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption, Mr Toyin Badejogbon in his address, called for support for the review process, saying legislative development updates will enhance access to law.
Badejogbon said, “Our courts, research institutes, law reforms commission, and citizens all need the law to engage meaningfully.”