Imo NBA Enforces Lawyers’ Fees Regulations for Title Deeds, Related Documents

ThankGod Emeh.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Imo State Chapter, comprising the Owerri, Mbaise, Mbano-Etiti, Okigwe, Oru and Orlu branches, said the Lawyers’ Remuneration (For Business, Legal Service, and Representation Order), 2023, enacted under the Legal Practitioners Act, CAP L11 LFN (as amended) 2023, has been fully implemented to regulate legal practitioners’ fees and ensure professional conduct across the state.

Addressing journalists during a Performance and Compliance Assessment press conference on Wednesday April 1, 2026, the Chairman of the Implementation and Enforcement Committee, Prof. Nnamdi Obiaraeri, emphasized that the new order serves as an avenue for performance assessment of legal practitioners and underscores the need for strict adherence to prevent professional misconduct.

Prof. Obiaraeri noted that the committee has processed over 1,700 documents under the new regulations in the NBA Owerri Branch, while other branches across the state have intensified sensitisation, compliance monitoring, and enforcement efforts to ensure full implementation of the order, reflecting growing compliance within the state chapter.

The Committee Chairman explained that under the new fee schedule, “property valued at ₦50 million and below attracts a minimum fee of ₦5 million, with 15 percent as highlighted in public awareness campaigns.

“Properties valued between ₦50 million and ₦100 million are charged 10 percent on the first ₦50 million and 5 percent on the remaining amount, while properties valued at ₦100 million and above are charged 7.5 percent on the first ₦100 million plus 3 percent on any additional amount”, it added.

The committee stressed that the law is not designed to put the poor out of business but to ensure proper documentation and certification for ascertained pro bono and other legal services.

According to the committee, lawyers are required to agree on fees with clients in line with the new schedule, after which clients remit payment to the NBA Owerri Branch designated bank account.

“Drafted and sealed documents, proof of payment, and the lawyer’s account details are then submitted to the NBA Owerri Secretariat for compliance review.

“The documents are subsequently sealed, serially numbered, and the lawyers are notified when they are ready for collection, while a two percent administrative charge is deducted before payment is remitted to the lawyer,” the committee highlighted.

The Implementation and Enforcement Committee, however, urged practitioners not to downplay the professional recommendations, which are aimed at providing a level playing ground, giving a sense of belonging, and curbing quackery in the association and the legal profession at large.

Members of the public were encouraged to rely on official documents as safeguards against abuse and unprofessional practices, thereby ensuring transparency and accountability in legal services.

The committee stressed that the problem lies not in the rules but in their implementation, noting that steps have been taken to ensure that the recommendations are obeyed to the letter.

Speaking alongside other NBA branch chairmen, the Chairman of NBA Owerri, Barrister Chris Ihentuge, commended the committee for ensuring compliance, noting that the order does not restrict pro bono services nor deny the poor access to legal support.

“We need to protect the profession and ensure that lawyers are not thrown out of work.”