Ugandan Law Reform Commission Delegation Visits NLS Founder Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, SAN

The Nigerian Law Society (NLS), on 10 September 2026, received a high-level delegation from the Ugandan Law Reform Commission (ULRC), accompanied by representatives of the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), on a courtesy visit to the Founder of the Nigerian Law Society, Chief J-K Gadzama, SAN & Life Bencher, at J-K Gadzama Court. The courtesy visit was the highlight of the delegation's benchmarking visit to Nigeria, which was facilitated by the SEC and convened at the NLS National Secretariat.

All members of the Ugandan delegation are also members of the Uganda Law Society, a fact that lent particular depth to the exchanges, as the delegation was able to speak both to Uganda's law reform process and to the lived institutional experience of the Ugandan Bar.

The visit provided an opportunity for a candid exchange on the institutional challenges confronting law societies across jurisdictions, the growing global disposition in support of a plural Bar, and the particular difficulties the Nigerian Law Society has faced in Nigeria in that regard. The Ugandan delegates shared their own journey through the evolution of their institution, the pressures of a single-association model, and the pathways they have explored in balancing statutory recognition with professional plurality.

The occasion was attended also by the President of the Nigerian Law Society, Chief Mela Audu Nunghe, SAN, alongside many other members of the Nigerian Law Society and the Nigerian Bar Association, whose presence revealed the broad professional interest in the questions of law society pluralism, regulatory reform and cross-border legal cooperation that animated the visit.

Chief J-K Gadzama, SAN, welcomed the delegation and noted that the NLS was established to provide Nigerian legal practitioners with a credible alternative professional home. He emphasised that the growing international support for a plural Bar strengthens the case for a more inclusive legal profession in Nigeria, and indeed anywhere. Chief Gadzama, SAN, is himself a member of the East African Law Society, a connection that lent added significance to the exchange between the Nigerian and Ugandan delegations.

The Ugandan delegation, led by Mr. Rutaremwa Kenneth, stated that Nigeria was selected for the benchmarking exercise because of its stable economy and the central role bodies like the Nigerian Law Society play in legal development, a parallel to the Uganda Law Society's role in Uganda's law reform process.

The Ugandan delegation comprised:
• Mr. Rutaremwa Kenneth (Head of Delegation)
• Ms. Agnes Kisamba (PHO)
• Mr. Edward T. Mugwanya (Legal Research Officer)

The Nigerian SEC representatives were:
• Mr. Anthony Edet (Head of Protocol)
• Ms. Anwulika Odinwe (Senior Manager)
• Mr. Ekemini Akpan (International Relations)
• Mr. Udokwere Michael (International Relations)

The discussions also touched on the technical substance of the benchmarking visit, including the registration, licensing and regulation of Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs). NLS members provided guidance on consumer protection, the interaction between legal practitioners and the regulatory structure, and strategies for combating money laundering and terrorism financing while ensuring financial stability. The NLS also highlighted potential legislative gaps for the Ugandan delegation to consider.

Chief J-K Gadzama, SAN & Life Bencher, commended the delegation for its thorough engagement and reaffirmed the NLS's commitment to the rule of law and to international collaboration. He stated that the exchange on law societies, the plural Bar, and the direction of the profession would strengthen the case for a level playing field in Nigeria.