268 OBSOLETE LAWS DON RECEIVE EVICTION NOTICE AFTER 22 YEARS! FG DON OPEN LEGAL DUSTBIN,

For Nigeria, e be like say even law no dey escape the effects of old age! Federal Government don announce one major exercise to clean up the country legal system after discovering hundreds of obsolete laws wey no longer qualify for inclusion inside the proposed 2025 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria. But as government dey prepare to remove these old legal provisions, one important question dey beg for answer: how many of these laws don remain inside the country’s legal books without proper review for more than two decades? The development don open another serious conversation about how Nigeria dey maintain, enforce and update the laws wey govern her citizens.

OBSOLETE LAWS: FG EXAMINE 932 ENACTMENTS AS 268 FACE EXCLUSION

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), disclose the development on Thursday in Abuja during the presentation of the final report of the Committee on the Review, Update and Consolidation of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

According to Fagbemi, the committee examine 932 federal enactments alongside 731 subsidiary legislations. Out of the 932 enactments, 664 and their relevant subsidiary legislations don receive recommendation for inclusion inside the proposed 2025 edition, while 268 don identify as obsolete, spent or repealed. The committee work involve reviewing existing laws, identifying outdated provisions, correcting inconsistencies and bringing different amendments together under one consolidated legal framework.

The exercise no be small assignment, as the committee use 14 thematic working groups and supporting technical teams to handle the review. Chairman of the committee, Olawale Fapohunda (SAN), explain say the process also reveal several problems inside existing legislation, including outdated legal language, complicated cross-references, inconsistent numbering and old statutory headings. In other words, some legal provisions don carry so much historical baggage reach the point where even people wey dey work with law need extra patience to understand them.

One particularly interesting discovery concern statutory fines and fees wey never reflect the present economic reality. Fapohunda reportedly point out say some fines still dey as low as ₦10 or ₦50. For an economy where ordinary daily expenses don increase significantly, such penalties raise questions about whether some existing laws still dey serve their original purpose. Even person wey wan pay ₦50 penalty fit spend more money to reach the office wey go collect am!

OBSOLETE LAWS: 22 YEARS WITHOUT FULL CONSOLIDATION RAISE QUESTIONS

One major reason behind the review na the long period wey pass since Nigeria last officially consolidate the Laws of the Federation in 2004. Since that time, the country don experience several legislative, constitutional, institutional and technological developments. New laws don emerge, existing ones don receive amendments, while some old provisions don lose relevance. But without one comprehensive and easily accessible updated collection, finding the correct legal position fit become unnecessarily difficult for legal practitioners, government institutions and ordinary citizens.

The committee also recommend say government should establish one centralised national repository where Nigerians fit easily access current federal legislation. This recommendation important because updating laws no suppose be something wey government go remember to do once every two decades. The Ministry of Justice needs stronger procedures for law reporting and publication, alongside regular review mechanisms to ensure say government ministries, departments and agencies dey follow proper procedures when preparing their own enabling laws and subsidiary legislation.

However, one important detail wey Nigerians need understand be say the announcement no mean say all the identified laws don automatically disappear from the statute books. The final report and proposed 20-volume edition still need further executive and legislative consideration. Fagbemi explain say the report would be presented to President Bola Tinubu for onward transmission to the National Assembly for the necessary consideration and action. This means the process still get important stages to pass before the proposed changes become fully effective.

There also be one small but important difference inside the figures wey different officials and reports present. While Fagbemi’s statement put the figures at 664 enactments for inclusion and 268 for exclusion, some reports quoting the committee chairman give 663 and 269 respectively. Both combinations still add up to the 932 enactments reviewed, but the one-enactment difference deserve official clarification so Nigerians go get one consistent record of the exercise. When government dey talk about accuracy and legal certainty, even one figure suppose get proper explanation.

As Nigeria dey move towards a more modern legal system, the real test no go simply be the number of old laws wey government fit remove. The bigger challenge na ensuring say the remaining laws dey clear, accessible, enforceable and capable of addressing present-day realities. Obsolete laws fit finally receive their retirement papers, but Nigeria no suppose wait another 22 years before checking whether the next generation of laws still dey work. OGM News Pidgin go continue to monitor the process and bring Nigerians further updates as the proposed 2025 Laws of the Federation move towards legislative consideration.