Nigerian Lawyers
Supreme Court of Nigeria has ordered lawyers, litigation staff, court registrars and other legal practitioners appearing before it to immediately stop using the title “Barrister” as a prefix to their names in all official dealings with the apex court.
The directive was conveyed in a memorandum dated July 13, 2026, signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir Akanbi.
According to the memorandum, the Chief Registrar said he acted on the instruction of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who directed that all affected officers be informed that the practice of using “Barrister” before names does not align with the professional standards expected at the Supreme Court.
The memorandum stated:
> “Consequently, all officers concerned are hereby directed to discontinue the use of the title ‘Barrister’ before their names in all official correspondence, records, documents, identity materials, and any other official engagements with immediate effect.”
The directive covers litigation staff, legal practitioners, court registrars and lawyers who engage with the Supreme Court in any official capacity.
To ensure full implementation, the Chief Registrar also instructed Heads of Departments and Unit Heads to enforce the directive among officers under their supervision.
The memorandum emphasized that the new directive takes effect immediately, making compliance mandatory for all concerned personnel in their official interactions with the Supreme Court.
