The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has approved a waiver of all fees for the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for the Nigerian Law School Abuja campus in Bwari. This decision comes alongside a series of infrastructure interventions aimed at strengthening legal education in the country.
Minister Expresses Concern Over Lack of Documentation
Wike disclosed this during a meeting with the management of the Law School in Abuja. He expressed concern that the institution had operated for years without proper land documentation, describing the situation as unacceptable for a government establishment. He directed the FCT Department of Lands to process the C of O within one week, stressing the need to regularise the school’s land status. According to him, failure to secure such documentation reflects systemic lapses the administration is determined to correct.
“It is quite unfortunate that since the Law School moved to Bwari, it has no Certificate of Occupancy. That should have been the first thing government did. We will waive all the fees and ensure the document is ready immediately,” he said.
Emergency Declaration on Staff Housing and Infrastructure
Beyond land regularisation, the Minister declared an “emergency” on staff housing and critical infrastructure within the institution. He noted that improved welfare and facilities are essential to enhancing productivity and academic excellence. He revealed that 10 units of staff quarters have already been completed and are scheduled for commissioning as part of activities marking the third anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. He further approved the construction of an additional 10 units using existing architectural prototypes to accelerate delivery and reduce costs.
Wike also confirmed ongoing construction of two hostels to address student accommodation challenges, as well as the approval of funds for a new auditorium. He queried delays by the contractor handling the project and called for immediate mobilisation to the site.
Digitisation and Institutional Reforms
On institutional reforms, the Minister directed the Law School to collaborate with the FCT Administration’s legal department to drive the digitisation of its processes, including admissions and administrative workflows, in line with ongoing reforms at the FCT High Court. He emphasised that the interventions align with the Federal Government’s broader commitment to strengthening the judiciary and legal education, including the construction of residential facilities for judges to enhance their welfare, security and independence.
“Anything that will improve efficiency and support our institutions, this administration is ready to do. Legal education is critical, and we must provide the needed infrastructure,” he stated.
Law School Director-General Commends Minister
Earlier, the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote, commended the Minister for his continued support to the institution across its campuses. She highlighted several contributions, including the development of facilities at the Port Harcourt and Yenagoa campuses, donation of staff quarters, vehicles and ongoing hostel projects.
Odusote, however, appealed for further assistance in key areas, including the waiver of C of O fees, deployment of modern teaching technologies, digitisation of operations and expansion of staff housing. She noted that the Abuja campus sits on over 115 hectares of land and lacks the financial capacity to meet the statutory obligations associated with land documentation. The Director-General added that improved infrastructure and digital transformation would significantly enhance teaching, learning and administrative efficiency within the institution.
The meeting underscores renewed collaboration between the FCT Administration and the Nigerian Law School, with a shared focus on addressing infrastructure deficits and positioning the institution to meet growing demands for legal education in Nigeria.
