The Nigerian Law School Bar Final Examinations for the 2025/2026 session run from Saturday, 31 October to Saturday, 7 November 2026, with a one-week revision period from 26 to 30 October. The exams hold across all seven campuses: Bwari (Headquarters), Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Yola, Yenagoa, and the Dr. Nabo Graham-Douglas Campus in Port Harcourt. You sit five core papers — Civil Litigation, Criminal Litigation, Property Law Practice, Corporate Law Practice, and Professional Ethics and Skills — plus a multiple-choice paper. Pass all five and you qualify for the Call to the Bar.
When is the 2026 Bar Final?
The Council of Legal Education set the Bar Part II exam window at 31 October – 7 November 2026. Revision week falls 26–30 October. Post-exam activities run 9 November to 18 December 2026. Result release and the Call to Bar date will be announced by the Council closer to the time.
The schedule applies uniformly to every Nigerian Law School campus. Source: 2025/2026 Bar Part II Academic Calendar.
Is there a May 2026 resit sitting?
Yes. Candidates who were referred in one paper (conditional pass) at the December 2025 Bar Final sat the Resit Examination from 16 to 22 May 2026 at the Nigerian Law School headquarters in Bwari, Abuja. Registration ran February–April 2026. Resit fees are paid to the Council of Legal Education through Remita.
If you missed this resit window, the next opportunity is the November 2026 main sitting.
What papers will you sit?
The Bar Part II curriculum tests five core practice modules plus a multiple-choice paper. Each substantive paper is three hours long.
Core papers
- Civil Litigation — pleadings, procedure, evidence, enforcement of judgments.
- Criminal Litigation — charges, arraignment, trial procedure, sentencing, appeals.
- Property Law Practice — conveyancing, leases, mortgages, wills and probate.
- Corporate Law Practice — company formation, securities, insolvency, taxation.
- Professional Ethics and Skills — Rules of Professional Conduct, legal drafting, advocacy.
Multiple-choice paper
A separate MCQ paper covers all five modules. It runs for one hour, usually on the opening day of the exam week. The Law School publishes the exact daily timetable a few weeks before exams.
What format are the exams?
The substantive papers are open-book. You may bring approved statute books, the Rules of Professional Conduct, and authorised compendia. Marking is criterion-referenced — you need 50% in each paper to pass.
The exam runs on a single timetable across all campuses, with synchronised start and end times. Late entry is restricted past the first 30 minutes.
What should you bring on exam day?
- Law School ID card — non-negotiable for entry.
- Approved statute books — clean copies, no annotations beyond highlighting.
- Black biros (at least three) — pencils not allowed for answers.
- Transparent water bottle — labels removed.
- White shirt and black skirt/trousers — Law School dress code.
Phones, smartwatches, and digital devices are banned in the hall. Bags go to a designated drop area.
How do you check your Bar Final result?
Results are released by the Council of Legal Education, usually 6–10 weeks after the last paper. To check:
- Visit www.nigerianlawschool.edu.ng.
- Click the Results portal link on the homepage.
- Enter your matriculation number and date of birth.
- Print or save the slip for your records.
Possible outcomes are Pass, Conditional Pass (referred in one paper), Referred (re-sit two or more papers), or Repeat. A Conditional Pass lets you resit the single failed paper at the next sitting without redoing the full programme.
What happens after you pass?
Passing all five papers qualifies you for the Call to the Bar ceremony, held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. The Body of Benchers issues the formal Call. Steps after results:
- Submit Call documents — affidavit of non-conviction, birth certificate, passport photos, ID card.
- Pay the Call fee — set by the Body of Benchers each year.
- Attend Dinners — minimum number of qualifying dinners completed during the academic year.
- Attend the Call ceremony in Abuja in your wig and gown.
- Enrolment at the Supreme Court — your name is entered on the Roll of Legal Practitioners, and you can practise.
Common Bar Final problems
- Missing ID card. Apply for a replacement at the Student Affairs office at least two weeks before exams.
- Statute books rejected at the door. Use only editions the Law School circulates. Sticky notes, loose papers, and printed notes are removed at screening.
- Result not showing. Outstanding fees or unresolved dinner attendance block release. Contact your campus Registry.
- Referred in two papers. You sit both at the next main exam, not the resit window.
Where to confirm dates
Always cross-check the official Nigerian Law School site: www.nigerianlawschool.edu.ng. The Council of Legal Education publishes the detailed daily timetable around four weeks before each sitting.
Sit your strongest paper first if the order lets you — momentum matters across a five-day week.
