NBA Anaocha Chairman Challenges EFCC on Lawyers' Fees

On September 15, 2026, Dr. Uzoma Charles Dioha, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Anaocha Branch, responded to a warning from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding lawyers charging professional fees in foreign currencies. The EFCC, represented by Acting Zonal Director Bawa Usman Kaltungo, had threatened prosecution for what it deemed illegal and unethical practices.

Dioha contended that the EFCC is overstepping its authority, as the regulation of legal fees falls under the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Committee, established by the Legal Practitioners Act. He referenced the Legal Practitioners Remuneration (For Business, Legal Service and Representation) Order 2023 as the governing framework for lawyers' charges.

Dioha distinguished between lawful foreign currency transactions and illegal activities like money laundering, asserting that the Foreign Exchange Act recognizes professional fees as legitimate. He emphasized that a criminal offense must be defined by written law, questioning the legal basis for the EFCC's threats against lawyers.