The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Justice, has disbursed approximately N1.1 billion as professional fees to top Nigerian lawyers, including Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and 23 other law firms over the past three years.
This expenditure was revealed by data analyzed from GovSpend, a civic tech platform tracking government expenditures. The payments covered services such as legal representation, document drafting, advocacy, mediation, regulatory compliance, and risk management.
– In July 2024, Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, received N372.9m for representing the Federal Government in a court case (FHC/ABJ/SC/8962/2023).
– Wole Olanipekun, SAN, was paid N103.6m, while Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, received N6.2m for similar services.
– These payments were accompanied by statutory tax deductions, with Babalola paying N31m in VAT and N41.4m in withholding tax, while Olanipekun paid N8.6m in VAT and N11.5m in withholding tax.
In 2022, the Ministry of Justice paid N359.7m to 17 lawyers and firms, including:
– **LDS Legal**: N70.9m
– **Sulaiman Salihu & Co**: N31.4m (in two tranches)
– **Savannah Law Chambers**: N17.4m, plus an additional N29m later.
In 2021, four law firms received a cumulative **N319.3m**, including:
– **Mr. Chikwendu Madumere**: N174m
– **Sulaiman Salihu & Co**: N100.5m (in two tranches)
The significant legal expenditures have sparked discussions about transparency and the Federal Government’s commitment to fair and competitive bidding in awarding legal contracts. Critics have called for clearer guidelines to ensure equitable access to such professional opportunities.
