The Council of Legal Education has imposed a 10-year moratorium on the Law programme at Atiba University, Oyo State, over inadequate facilities and violations of admission regulations.
The decision was reached at the Council’s Third Quarter Hybrid Meeting held on August 13, 2026, at the headquarters of the Nigerian Law School in Bwari, Abuja.
In a statement signed by Aderonke O. Osho, Secretary to the Council and Director of Administration, the Council said its decision followed findings that the university’s facilities were not suitable for establishing and operating a Faculty of Law.
The Council also accused the university of admitting and graduating students without obtaining the required approval.
It said the moratorium was imposed as a regulatory measure to ensure that universities offering legal education comply with prescribed standards and to protect the quality and integrity of legal education in Nigeria.
The decision places Atiba University among institutions facing regulatory restrictions within Nigeria’s legal education system.
While the Council imposed the moratorium on Atiba University, it approved five other universities to commence Law programmes from the 2026/2027 academic session.
The approved institutions are Amadeus University, Amazi, Abia State; Akwa Ibom State University; European University of Nigeria, Abuja; Oduduwa University, Ipetu-Modu, Osun State; and Peaceland University, Enugu.
Each of the five universities received an initial admission quota of 50 students for their 100-level Law programmes.
However, Maranatha University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, was denied approval to commence a Law programme after the Council identified what it described as “numerous deficiencies” during its verification exercise.
The Council also approved higher admission quotas for several universities already offering Law.
Bowen University, Ajayi Crowther University and Topfaith University had their quotas increased from 50 to 100 students for the 2026/2027 academic session.
North-Eastern University’s quota rose from 50 to 75 students, while Elizade University’s increased from 70 to 120.
Chrisland University also received an increase from 50 to 70 students.
For the 2027/2028 academic session, Joseph Ayo Babalola University’s quota was increased from 50 to 100 students, while Olabisi Onabanjo University’s rose from 170 to 220.
The Council said the decisions were based on reports from its Facilities Verification and Accreditation Panel following visits to the affected universities.
The developments highlight the Council’s continued enforcement of standards governing legal education, with universities expected to meet prescribed requirements before admitting and graduating students in Law.
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