Why Does It Take So Long to Qualify as a Lawyer in Nigeria?

One troubling part of studying in Nigeria is how long many professional courses take, especially when admission delays and strikes are included. Some of these courses are completed in far less time in other countries. A Nigerian secondary-school leaver may spend two or three years trying to meet the JAMB cut-off mark for Law. Private university fees may be unaffordable, while admission into public universities remains highly competitive. After finally gaining admission, the student spends five years on the LLB programme, often with the risk of ASUU strikes. This is followed by one year at Law School and another year for NYSC. Many graduates then spend additional years in pupilage or entry-level legal work before becoming financially stable. Meanwhile, students in some countries complete an LLB in three years and proceed directly to professional qualifying training. Nigeria needs to review whether its education and professional training system is unnecessarily delaying young people’s careers.

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