The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) and the Nigeria Police Force have reached an agreement to review the country’s tinted permit policy.
Prof. Paul Ananaba (SAN), Chairman of NBA-SPIDEL, made this known on Thursday during an interactive session in Ikeja, Lagos. The event was part of activities leading up to the NBA-SPIDEL Annual Conference scheduled to hold in Akwa Ibom from December 1 to 5.
Ananaba explained that the review aims to ensure the policy aligns with public interest and national security objectives. The decision follows weeks of consultations between NBA-SPIDEL and senior police officials in response to public outcry over the harassment of motorists with non-transparent vehicle windows.
He said the association intervened after receiving multiple reports of indiscriminate arrests and vehicle impoundments by police officers enforcing the tinted permit directive.
“Following our discussions with senior police officers, we agreed that enforcement of the tinted permit should be suspended while a joint review committee is constituted,” Ananaba stated.
He clarified that SPIDEL’s engagement with the police is collaborative rather than confrontational, aimed at promoting accountability and justice in public administration.
The joint committee, comprising representatives of NBA-SPIDEL and the Nigeria Police, will examine the legal and security implications of the policy and recommend new modalities for its implementation.
Ananaba also revealed that the association has filed a lawsuit against the police over alleged discriminatory enforcement of the policy, emphasizing that legal action is essential to uphold the rule of law.
“SPIDEL is not a body of activists. Our focus is public interest and development,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, Mrs. Adaobi Egboka, Director of the Africa Initiative at the Vance Centre, New York City Bar, announced that the Centre for International Justice has proposed a partnership with NBA-SPIDEL to strengthen public interest law and institutionalize pro bono legal services across Africa.
Egboka explained that the Vance Centre — the non-profit arm of the New York City Bar Association — works globally to advance justice through cross-border legal collaborations, pro bono services, and institutional integrity. Its programmes focus on environment, human rights and access to justice, institutional integrity, and public interest reporting.
She said the proposed partnership would help NBA establish a structured pro bono framework, create a database of participating law firms, and set measurable standards for legal aid contributions.
Egboka also called for the introduction of a “Pro Bono Declaration for Africa,” similar to the Pro Bono Declaration of the Americas, to encourage law firms to dedicate specific annual hours to providing free legal services for the underprivileged.
“Such an initiative will promote accountability, enhance diversity within the legal profession, and improve access to justice for vulnerable groups,” she said.
She highlighted the successful launch of a Pro Bono Institute in Kenya in collaboration with local universities and law firms, suggesting that a similar model could be replicated in Nigeria through NBA-SPIDEL.
“We urge the NBA to support the centre’s vision of building a stronger, data-driven, and institutionalised pro bono culture in Africa,” Egboka added.
