House of Reps Takes Action on Exclusion of 5,000 NOUN Law Graduates from Law School

The House of Representatives has initiated an investigation into the exclusion of over 5,000 law graduates from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) from admission into the Nigerian Law School. This move comes in response to a petition filed by the affected graduates, urging the House to intervene in their plight.

The House Committee on Public Petitions convened to address the issue but faced challenges as neither NOUN nor the Nigerian Law School attended the hearing on September 16, 2026. NOUN cited the absence of its Vice-Chancellor, while the Law School requested alternative dates due to other commitments.

Chibueze Obochi, the Public Relations Officer for the petitioners, expressed frustration, stating that the graduates should not suffer due to institutional disagreements. He referenced Section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution, emphasizing the right to equal educational opportunities.

Obochi highlighted that the graduates had completed their LLB programs and should not be victims of inter-agency rivalries. He criticized the interpretation of a 2019 list of graduates submitted to authorities, arguing that it did not represent the total output of NOUN’s law program.

He also pointed out that the 2015 suspension of admissions into the program should not invalidate the status of students who were already enrolled. The graduates possess matriculation numbers and documentation proving their admission dates.

NOUN welcomed the House's intervention and traced the dispute back to a 2015 accreditation process by the National Universities Commission, during which the Council of Legal Education (CLE) published its rejection of NOUN graduates' admissions to the Law School.

The university suspended further admissions while trying to resolve the eligibility of its graduates. It later submitted lists of graduates for consideration but faced rejection based on misunderstandings regarding the number of eligible students.

The Nigerian Law School also failed to attend the hearing, expressing its willingness to cooperate in future discussions. The petition was initially introduced to the House on July 21, 2026, by Hon. Akin Rotimi, who reiterated the need for a fair resolution.

As the investigation unfolds, the affected graduates and their advocates remain hopeful for a resolution that acknowledges their rights and contributions to the legal profession. The outcome will significantly impact the future of these graduates, who seek to fulfill their aspirations of being called to the Bar.