Property buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants and agents in Bayelsa State have been notified of a new regulation mandating the payment of a 10 per cent professional fee to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for all property-related transactions.
The directive, which was jointly agreed upon by the two NBA branches in the state on 24 and 25 September 2025, is aimed at curbing the activities of fake lawyers who issue invalid property documents such as deeds, lease and tenancy agreements.
Under the new rule, effective from 1 October 2025, clients engaging lawyers for property transactions are required to pay the 10 per cent fee directly to the NBA branch where the lawyer is registered.
According to the resolution, once payment is made, the lawyer must complete a form at the NBA branch detailing both the property and legal practitioner involved. A photocopy of the transaction documents will also be deposited with the branch for record-keeping and future reference.
Only after compliance will the lawyer be authorised to issue deeds, leases or tenancy agreements to clients, duly stamped and sealed with an NBA registration number.
The NBA Taskforce Enforcement Committee warned that any property document issued without proof of payment, the NBA seal, and a registration number will be deemed fake. Both the lawyer and any client found to have colluded in such transactions risk legal sanctions.
The association further emphasised that “ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” urging the public to comply with the new guidelines.
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