The Supreme Court of Nigeria has directed litigation staff, legal practitioners, court registrars and lawyers to stop using the title “Barrister” as a prefix to their names in all official engagements with immediate effect.

The directive was contained in a memorandum dated July 13, 2026, signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir Akanbi.

According to the memorandum, the Chief Registrar said he was acting on the directive of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who stated that the use of “Barrister” as a prefix is inappropriate and inconsistent with the level of professionalism expected within the Supreme Court.

The directive requires all affected officers to discontinue the use of the title in official correspondence, court records, documents, identity materials and all other official engagements.

It applies to litigation staff, legal practitioners, court registrars and lawyers interacting with the Supreme Court.

The Chief Registrar also instructed Heads of Departments and Unit Heads to ensure full compliance with the directive by officers under their supervision.