•…Commission says practice illegal, unethical
…Meets NBA task force, vows enforcement against erring practitioners
Daud Olatunji
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has warned lawyers in Nigeria against charging clients for legal services in foreign currencies, declaring the practice illegal and unethical.
The anti-graft agency also warned that legal practitioners found violating the directive could be prosecuted.
The EFCC issued the warning on Monday following a meeting between officials of its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 and the Nigerian Bar Association Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law.
The Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, gave the warning while receiving a delegation of the NBA task force led by its Head, Moshood Abiola.
Kaltungo expressed concern over what he described as illegal and unethical practices within the legal profession, particularly the practice of demanding payment of professional fees in dollars and other foreign currencies.
“The EFCC has called on legal practitioners in the country to desist from the illegal and unethical practice of charging clients in foreign currencies,” the Commission said in a statement issued after the meeting.
The EFCC further urged lawyers to comply with applicable laws and professional standards, stressing that it would not hesitate to prosecute practitioners found culpable.
The meeting also focused on measures to tackle illegal practices within the legal profession and strengthen collaboration between the EFCC and the NBA task force.
The latest warning is part of the Commission’s broader campaign against the pricing of goods and services in foreign currencies within Nigeria.
In 2024, the EFCC had warned schools, supermarkets, hotels and other businesses against demanding payment for goods and services in dollars or other foreign currencies in the country.
The renewed warning to lawyers comes amid concerns over the
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