In January 2026, FOI Counsel formally wrote to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), requesting for disclosure of financial records including members’ dues and levies received by the Benin, Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Kano Branches of the NBA for the last three (3) years.
The request for disclosure also included remuneration proceeds paid to the branches and also the annual financial reports submitted by the listed branches to the NBA National Secretariat. This arose out of growing concerns over transparency, financial accountability, and internal governance of the NBA.
This request arose from growing concerns among members regarding transparency, financial accountability, and internal governance within the Association.
To date, the letter has not received a response from the President of the NBA. Additionally, the matter was not listed for deliberation at the recently concluded National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Maiduguri. The silence surrounding these requests has heightened concerns about institutional resistance to transparency and accountability.
The issue has been particularly pronounced within the Benin Branch of the NBA, where concerns were raised regarding significant and allegedly unapproved expenditures of branch dues and remuneration contributions by the Branch Chairman, Mr. Idemudia Osifo, Esq., without prior approval of members.
The matter escalated following a letter dated 13th February 2026 authored by the Branch Secretary, Mr. Otasowie Christopher, Esq., highlighting these concerns.
At the Branch meeting held on 15th February 2026, the Chairman addressed the allegations suo motu after his State of the Bar address. However, proceedings were interrupted when a senior member of the Bar unilaterally announced the appointment of a seven-member committee, including himself, to review the allegations in a closed-door process. Concerns have since been raised that the committee was constituted contrary to established traditions of deliberative review, formal selection procedures, and clearly defined terms of reference.
During the same meeting, President Aigbokhan, a member of the Branch and co-founder of FOI Counsel, sought to contribute to the discussion but was not permitted to speak.
These unfolding events have intensified discussions around internal governance standards within the NBA. There is growing perception among members that individuals who raise concerns or request financial transparency are treated as adversaries, while those facing allegations may receive institutional protection.
FOI Counsel reiterates that its call for financial disclosure and audit transparency is not targeted at any individual. Rather, it represents a principled demand for institutional integrity, compliance with due process, and adherence to democratic norms within the Association
As a professional body that consistently advocates for accountability and transparency in public institutions, the NBA must itself be seen to uphold those same standards internally.
Transparency in branch finances, proper authorization of expenditures, and respect for deliberative governance processes are essential to maintaining public confidence in the legal profession.
The legal profession must not only demand accountability from government, it must model it.
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