The rising cost of contesting for the presidency of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) came under scrutiny at the association’s 2026 Annual General Meeting in Port Harcourt, with Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Rotimi Iseoluwa Oyedepo, warning that aspiring candidates may now need as much as ₦1 billion to mount a serious campaign.

Oyedepo raised the concern during discussions at the AGM, arguing that the growing financial demands of NBA elections could make it increasingly difficult for lawyers without substantial financial resources to aspire to the association’s highest office.

According to him, the financial requirements associated with campaigning could effectively create a barrier for otherwise qualified lawyers seeking to contest the NBA presidency.

“No junior lawyer can aspire to become president of NBA who cannot guarantee at least one billion naira to spend on that election,” Oyedepo said, according to a report of the AGM.

His comments sparked a discussion among senior members of the Bar, including outgoing NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and former NBA President Chief Onueze Chukwujinka Okocha, SAN.

Responding to the concerns, Osigwe acknowledged that the increasing cost of NBA elections was an issue that required attention.

He, however, pointed out that proposals aimed at reducing campaign expenditure had previously been considered as part of the NBA’s constitutional reform process.

According to Osigwe, the reform committee proposed restrictions on certain campaign activities, including social gatherings and other engagements through which candidates could incur significant expenses.

He said members of the association ultimately rejected the proposals at the AGM.

Osigwe questioned the moral basis for lawyers condemning Nigerian politicians for spending huge sums during political campaigns while allowing similar spending pressures to develop within the Bar.

He argued that the association could not blame candidates for spending heavily when its members had rejected measures designed to curb some of the activities responsible for escalating election costs.

Former NBA President Okocha also intervened in the debate, although his contribution focused primarily on Oyedepo’s reference to “junior lawyers.”

Okocha noted that not every lawyer is eligible to contest for the NBA presidency because the association already has requirements governing eligibility for the office.

He stressed that factors such as age and other qualification requirements determine who can contest for the position.

His intervention therefore distinguished between formal eligibility to contest the NBA presidency and the separate concern over whether the financial demands of campaigning could prevent qualified lawyers from seeking the office.

The exchange has renewed discussion about the cost of NBA elections and whether the association needs stronger controls on campaign spending.

The issue is particularly significant because the NBA, as the umbrella body for Nigerian lawyers, plays a prominent role in discussions on democratic governance, electoral integrity and accountability.

The debate at the AGM also highlighted the difficulty of implementing campaign-spending reforms when members themselves are unwilling to support restrictions on activities that contribute to the cost of seeking elective positions.

Oyedepo’s ₦1 billion estimate was presented as a warning about the financial barrier facing potential aspirants, rather than an official NBA requirement or verified minimum campaign expenditure.

The discussion comes as the NBA transitions to a new national leadership following the conclusion of Osigwe’s tenure, putting renewed attention on how future elections within the association are conducted and financed.