Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has directed lawyers, court officials and other personnel to stop using the title “Barrister” as a prefix to their names in all official engagements at the Supreme Court.
The directive was conveyed in a memorandum dated July 13, 2026, and signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir Akanbi.
Addressed to litigation staff, legal practitioners, court registrars and lawyers, the circular stated that the directive took immediate effect as part of efforts to uphold professionalism within the nation’s apex court.
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According to the CJN, the use of the title “Barrister” as a prefix is inconsistent with the professional standards expected in the Supreme Court.
“I am directed by the Honourable the Chief Justice of Nigeria to notify all Litigation Staff, Legal Practitioners, Court Registrars, and Lawyers that the use of the title ‘Barrister’ as a prefix to names is inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards of professionalism expected within the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” the memo read.
The directive requires all affected officers to discontinue the use of the title in official correspondence, records, documents, identity materials, and other official engagements.
“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 memorandum stated.
To ensure compliance, the Chief Justice also instructed heads of departments and unit heads to enforce the directive among officers under their supervision.
“Heads of Departments and Unit Heads are requested to ensure strict compliance with this directive by all officers under their supervision. Please be guided accordingly,” the memo added.
The directive follows a recent warning by the Council of Legal Education to prospective lawyers against wearing wigs and gowns or presenting themselves as qualified legal practitioners before they are formally called to the Nigerian Bar.
The council had cautioned that such conduct undermines the dignity of the legal profession and could attract disciplinary measures, stressing that the use of legal regalia is reserved exclusively for duly qualified legal practitioners in line with the Rules of Professional Conduct.