If you are a law student in Nigeria, you might be wondering if you have to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program after graduating from your university.
The NYSC is a one-year mandatory service scheme for Nigerian graduates who are below 30 years of age. It aims to foster national unity, patriotism, and skills development among the youths.
Do Law Students Go For NYSC Service?
The answer to your question is YES! Law students do go for NYSC service. However, they have to complete their Nigerian Law School (NLS) program first. The NLS is a one-year professional training course that prepares law graduates for the bar examination and legal practice in Nigeria. It is compulsory for anyone who wants to become a lawyer in Nigeria.
Therefore, to become a lawyer in Nigeria, you will need to study for a total of seven years. You will spend five years earning a law degree in an accredited faculty at any higher institution in Nigeria.
After that, you will have one year for NLS and another year for NYSC. You cannot do NLS and NYSC at the same time, nor can you do NYSC before NLS. You have to follow this sequence: Law degree -> NLS -> NYSC.
After completing NLS, you will have to sit for an examination called the bar examination. If you pass, you will receive a certificate to practice law in Nigeria and will be called to the bar. Remember, if you fail the bar examination, you will have to wait for another year to retake it.
We hope this clarifies all your questions about law students and NYSC service. If you have any more inquiries, feel free to ask in the comment section below!
