LAGOS — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a stern warning to legal practitioners operating in Nigeria to desist from billing or accepting professional fees in foreign currencies, declaring the practice illegal, unethical, and a direct breach of monetary regulations.
The warning was delivered on Friday, September 11, 2026, by the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, during a meeting with members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law, led by Moshood Abiola.
Kaltungo asserted that members of the legal profession enjoy no immunity from statutory financial regulations and warned that lawyers found culpable of demanding foreign currency payments—particularly US Dollars—will face criminal prosecution under anti-dollarisation and financial regulatory laws.
Core Directives & Regulatory Framework
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Strict Prohibition of Foreign Billing: The commission instructed legal practitioners to align all billing structures exclusively with the legal tender of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, stressing that charging domestic clients in dollars undermines the naira.
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Joint Stakeholder Engagement: The NBA Lagos Task Force visit aimed to foster cooperation between the bar and anti-graft authorities on curbing unethical practices, fake legal practitioners, and financial breaches within the legal ecosystem.
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Enforcement & Prosecution Threat: The EFCC affirmed that monitoring mechanisms have been deployed to track corporate legal billing, retainer agreements, and real estate transaction fees structured in foreign currencies.
