๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ 10 ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐
The Council of Legal Education has enacted a 10-year moratorium on Atiba University, located in Oyo State, due to shortcomings in its facilities and breaches of the regulations governing legal education.
This decision was outlined in resolutions passed during the Councilโs Third Quarter Hybrid Meeting, which took place on August 13, 2026, at the Nigerian Law School headquarters in Bwari, Abuja.
A statement issued by Aderonke O. Osho, the Secretary to the Council and Director of Administration, and shared on the Councilโs official page on Monday, indicated that the moratorium was a result of findings that Atiba Universityโs facilities were deemed "inappropriate and inadequate" for the establishment and functioning of a Faculty of Law.
Additionally, it was noted that the institution had contravened its admission policy by admitting and graduating students without securing the necessary approvals.
โThe Council also approved a ten-year moratorium in respect of Atiba University, Oyo State, following its finding that the institutionโs facilities were inappropriate and inadequate for the establishment and operation of a Faculty of Law,โ the Council said.
It added that the institution had admitted and graduated students without obtaining the requisite approval.
โThe Council further found that the institution had violated its admission policy by admitting and graduating students without obtaining the requisite approval,โ it stated.
The Council has stated that the 10-year moratorium was established as a regulatory measure to ensure that legal education adheres to the required standards.
Furthermore, the Council indicated that this decision was intended to strengthen compliance with the regulatory framework and to safeguard the quality, integrity, and standards of legal education in Nigeria.
This announcement coincided with the Council's approval of five universities to initiate Law studies starting from the 2026/2027 academic session.
The universities granted permission to begin with an initial admission quota of 50 students for their first-year intakes include Amadeus University, Amazi, Abia State; Akwa Ibom State University; European University of Nigeria, Abuja; Oduduwa University, Ipetu-Modu, Osun State; and Peaceland University, Enugu.
However, the Council did not approve Maranatha University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, to launch a Law program, citing โnumerous deficienciesโ discovered during its verification process.
Additionally, the Council approved increases in admission quotas for several other universities.
Bowen University, Ajayi Crowther University, and Topfaith University saw their quotas raised from 50 to 100 students for the 2026/2027 academic session.
North-Eastern Universityโs quota was increased from 50 to 75 students, while Elizade Universityโs quota was elevated from 70 to 120. Chrisland Universityโs quota was also raised from 50 to 70 students.
Joseph Ayo Babalola Universityโs quota was increased from 50 to 100 students, and Olabisi Onabanjo Universityโs quota was raised from 170 to 220, with these changes set to take effect from the 2027/2028 academic session.
The Council explained that these decisions were based on reports from its Facilities Verification and Accreditation Panel following visits to the universities in question.
