Time for NBA to appeal judgment affirming Blue Silks has elapsed – Nigerian Legal Society

The Nigerian Legal Society, NLS, has insisted that the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has lost the opportunity to appeal a judgment which approved the introduction of the Blue Silks rank as an alternative to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, title for non-litigation lawyers.

The NBA had opposed the introduction of the Blue Silks rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, describing the title as illegal. The NBA, which confers the SAN title through its Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, LPPC, warned that Nigerian lawyers who take up the Blue Silks rank risk severe sanctions.

However, providing an update on the legal battle surrounding the introduction of the Blue Silks rank, Executive Secretary of the NLS, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, SCN, said the judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Umar Garba of the Abuja Federal High Court on 27th January 2026 has not been challenged and as such remains in force.

According to him, the judgment, delivered in a suit numbered FHC/CS/1238/2025, gave judicial blessings to the Blue Silks rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, SCN.

“This is because that judgment specifically stated that neither the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, or any other institution can attempt to regulate Nigerian lawyers on any item that is not specifically mentioned in the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962.

“Since the Blue Silks SCN is not specifically mentioned inside the said Legal Practitioners Act, it follows logically that neither the NBA nor the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, LPPC, can regulate the said Blue Silks, SCN. They can only regulate the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, rank which is specifically mentioned inside the Legal Practitioners Act,” Jaja said.

He explained that the Blue Silks was introduced as an alternative to the SAN for non-litigation Nigerian lawyers who satisfy the criteria of having held a Bachelor of Laws, LLB, degree for a minimum of 10 years.

He added, “The Blue Silks, SCN, is currently for members of the Nigerian Law Society, NLS, which received it’s certificate of registration dated 30th December 2025 as issued by a collaboration of the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, and SMEDAN. The Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, BOSCON, conducts the screening and conferment of the Blue Silks, SCN.”

Jaja noted that a judgment delivered on 13th May, 2026 by another Federal High Court cannot override the 30th December 2025 judgment.

“Since the date of delivery of the said judgment on the 27th January 2026, the NBA has not filed any appeal against the said judgment. The folly of their decision is that according to the rule of law, a judgment of another judge of the Federal High Court is incapable of over-riding the said judgment of Hon. Justice Mohammed Umar Garba.

“Unfortunately, for the NBA the time permitted for them to submit any appeal to the Court of Appeal has lapsed.

“Therefore, in the final analysis, in addition to Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the judgment of Hon. Justice Mohammed Umar Garba remains the legal basis for the Blue Silks, SCN,” he added.