A total of 6,009 candidates have been called to the Nigerian Bar after the 2026 Call to the Bar ceremonies in Abuja.
The new lawyers include 6,000 candidates who passed the December 2025 Bar Final Examinations and nine candidates from the February 2025 Backlog and previous Calls, according to a statement from the Council of Legal Education on Monday.
The ceremonies took place from Tuesday, 7 July, to Friday, 10 July, at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja.
While presenting the candidates, the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Olugbemisola Odusote, confirmed that the aspirants completed their course and were found “fit and proper in learning and character” under the Legal Education Act, making them eligible for the Bar.
Ms Odusote congratulated the new lawyers on reaching what she called a major milestone in their careers. She said this event marks the realization of their dreams to join the legal profession.
She encouraged them to uphold “the values of integrity, excellence, professionalism, and service to humanity” as they begin their legal journeys.
The chairperson of the Body of Benchers, Albert Akpomudje, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), officially admitted the candidates during the ceremonies.
In his speech, Mr Akpomudje urged the new lawyers to maintain high standards of integrity, discipline, and professional ethics. He also advised them to seek mentorship from experienced senior lawyers, saying ongoing learning and proper guidance are key to a successful legal career.
He warned against using ‘Barrister’ as a prefix for names, stating that it is not a title to be used that way.
Mr Akpomudje criticized the act of candidates wearing full legal attire, including wigs and gowns, and posting photos on social media before their official call to the Bar. He labeled such behavior as unethical.
The newly called lawyers are those who cleared the Nigerian Law School’s December 2025 Bar Final Examinations.
PREMIUM TIMES reported in April that 6,000 out of 7,602 candidates who took the exams were successful, which is a 79.1 percent pass rate.
The Council of Legal Education also shared that 212 candidates received First Class honours.
The annual call to the Bar is the last step in legal training in Nigeria. Candidates who finish the Nigerian Law School program, pass the Bar Final Examinations, and prove to the Body of Benchers that they are fit in learning and character are officially admitted to the Nigerian Bar. They then enroll at the Supreme Court as legal practitioners.
The Body of Benchers is the official body that admits qualified law graduates to the Nigerian Bar. It also oversees admission to the legal profession and upholds standards of conduct and discipline within the profession.
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