EFCC Warns Lawyers: Stop Charging Clients in Dollars or Face Prosecution
**Lagos, Nigeria – September 14, 2026—**The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a stern warning to legal practitioners across Nigeria to immediately stop the practice of charging clients in foreign currencies, describing it as both illegal and unethical.
The call was made on Friday, September 11, 2026, by Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE I) Bawa Usman Kaltungo, Acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 in Ikoyi.
He spoke while receiving a delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law, led by its head, Moshood Abiola.
Kaltungo expressed deep concern over lawyers engaging in practices that undermine professional standards and the country’s monetary laws.
He revealed that the Directorate is currently handling two cases involving lawyers who allegedly charged their clients in dollars.
“We are also worried about the activities of lawyers who are involved in illegal and unethical practices. We have two cases of lawyers who were found to have charged fees in dollars. This is unethical and illegal, as the Naira is the country’s legal tender,” he stated.
“We usually don’t want to have issues with members of the NBA. However, some lawyers are pushing us. Any lawyer we find culpable of charging clients in foreign currencies will be prosecuted.”
The Acting Zonal Director further cautioned lawyers against invoking the EFCC’s name to justify excessive fees. While acknowledging that practitioners have the right to set their professional charges, he insisted they must not misrepresent the Commission.
“Also, lawyers should stop name-dropping the EFCC to overcharge their clients. They have the right to charge their clients as much as they like, but they shouldn’t drag the EFCC into it. They should desist from all these unethical practices,” Kaltungo added.
Earlier in the meeting, Moshood Abiola, head of the NBA Lagos Task Force, commended the EFCC for its swift prosecution and conviction of a fake lawyer, describing the process as “reassuring.”
He noted that the Task Force is handling several cases of alleged malpractice among legal practitioners and called for closer collaboration with the anti-graft agency to ensure culprits face justice.
Other EFCC officials present raised additional concerns. ACE I Orhieoghene Adewunmi of the Department of Legal and Prosecution urged the NBA to publicize sanctions against errant lawyers so the public can identify and avoid them.
ACE II Henry Anasoh highlighted instances where some legal practitioners allegedly assist suspects in obstructing investigations, including forging medical records to support bail applications.
The warning forms part of the EFCC’s broader campaign against the dollarization of domestic transactions in Nigeria.
In previous years, the Commission has cautioned schools, hotels, supermarkets, and other service providers against accepting or demanding foreign currencies for local deals.
Legal and financial experts note that the Naira remains Nigeria’s sole legal tender under existing laws, and charging or demanding foreign currency for services rendered within the country can attract regulatory and criminal consequences.
The EFCC, through its Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML), continues to monitor designated non-financial businesses and professions, including law firms.
As the Commission intensifies efforts to curb unethical practices in the legal profession, the meeting signals a renewed push for accountability and stronger partnership between the EFCC and the Nigerian Bar Association.
Lawyers found culpable risk prosecution, while the public is advised to insist on transparent, Naira-denominated professional fees.
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