A BILL TO CRIMINALISE COMMERCIAL SURROGACY IN NIGERIA SCALES FIRST READING
On May 21, 2025, a significant legislative proposal titled “A Bill for an Act to Protect the Health and Well-being of Women, Particularly in Relation to Surrogacy and for Related Matters” scaled first reading on the floor of the House of Representatives. The Bill seeks to regulate surrogacy arrangements in Nigeria to ensure they are conducted in a safe, ethical, and rights-based manner. One of the core provisions of the Bill is the prohibition of commercial surrogacy. It provides that only altruistic surrogacy (women who voluntarily agree to act as surrogates without expecting any reward beyond reimbursement for medical and pregnancy-related expenses) can legally do so. To qualify, a surrogate must be at least 21 years old. The Bill further mandates that prospective surrogates receive adequate counselling and must give informed consent before participating in any surrogacy arrangement. Such consent must be given freely, as coercing a woman into surrogacy is expressly prohibited. To protect surrogate mothers, the Bill guarantees access to both pre-natal and post-natal care, and mandates compensation for all pregnancy-related and childbirth expenses. If properly implemented, these provisions could significantly reduce the exploitation of vulnerable women. In addition to safeguarding the interests of surrogates, the Bill also requires intending parents to undergo counselling and prohibits the commodification of children born through surrogacy. Furthermore, the Bill aims to regulate all entities and individuals involved in surrogacy arrangements, including healthcare providers, agencies, professionals, and egg donors to ensure proper oversight and accountability. The overarching objective is to protect the rights and welfare of surrogates, intended parents, and children born via surrogacy. To enforce compliance, the Bill stipulates a penalty of up to Two Million Naira or a maximum prison term of two years, or both, for anyone found to be in violation of its provisions. It is worth noting that a similar Bill scaled second reading in October 2024 and was referred to the House Committee on Healthcare Services. One would have expected that the 2024 Bill would have been refined and progressed at the committee stage rather than introducing a fresh Bill on the same subject. Nonetheless, it is encouraging that surrogacy is receiving legislative attention in Nigeria. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive legal framework to regulate surrogacy practices in the country, and Nigerians can only hope that either of these Bills is enacted into law as soon as possible. Compos Mentis Legal PractionersEstablished in 1985, We have a proven track record of providing cutting-edge legal services in both domestic and cross-border related matters, to individuals, corporations, multinationals and state-owned enterprises across a range of industry sectors as well as financial institutions and governments. With three dedicated offices in Warri, Lagos and Abuja, we are differentiated by our geographical reach, independence and the quality of our legal services.
Read more
SALIENT PROVISIONS OF THE ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION ACT, 2023
Introduction: On May 26, 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari gave assent to the then Arbitration and Mediation Bill (the Act). Section 90 of the Act repealed the Arbitration and Conciliation Act CAP A18 LFN 2004 (ACA). The Act has been greeted with enthusiasm due to its several innovative provisions. These legislative developments will elevate the practice of Arbitration and Mediation to a more efficient and effective practice. We have highlighted some of the key provisions of the Act below. administrator
Read more
New Judgement Alert! For Employees in the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry
The Guideline states that no upstream oil company in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry is permitted to release a staff by way of dismissal, termination, and redundancy, except
Read more
A REVIEW OF THE NIGERIA UPSTREAM PETROLEUM HOST COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS 2022
It is without doubt that the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021 has introduced far reaching legal and regulatory changes and new introductions to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria. One of such new introductions can be found in Chapter 3 of the Act. Pursuant to the said Chapter 3, the Act mandates settlor oil companies to incorporate Host Community Development Trusts.
Read more
AN OVERVIEW OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE AUTHORITY ACT 2022
Nigeria has been ranked poorly on the World Bank’s Universal Health Coverage Basic Index.Although access to healthcare by all Nigerians through the minimum basic health service packages is backed by the National Health Act, yet these packages have faced huge challenges in dissemination and implementation.
Read more
HAPPY WORKERS DAY!
HAPPY WORKERS DAY from all of us at COMPOS MENTIS LEGAL PRACTITIONERS. #workersday2022 #ComposMentis #PremeirLawFirm Vincentadministrator
Read more
SLEEP!
One of the longest “weekends” in the year is upon us! We’re excited and we’re sure you are too! To be fair, going to have a good time with friends and family seems like the logical first step but we want to make the argument as to why it shouldn’t be. For a change, we should be more intentional about rest and relaxation. One study found that when people average four hours of sleep a night for four or five days, they develop the same level of cognitive impairment as if they’d been awake for 24 hours—the equivalent of being legally drunk in some countries. Within ten days, the level of impairment matches that of going 48 hours without sleep. Sleep deprivation greatly lengthens reaction time, impedes judgment, and interferes with problem solving. Not sleeping enough makes it impossible to pay optimal attention. We are cognisant of the fact that this is easier said than done as our realities may differ, but it is important for us to make out time to rest, because when we do eventually exhaust ourselves, our bodies will decide for us that it has had enough. We can integrate rest into our daily routine. Research shows that power naps of 10-15 minutes aids productivity in the work place. Hence, our emphasis on sleep. Sleep is the way our body recharges and repairs. Good sleep is critical to lifting our mood and improving our mental health. It also strengthens and solidifies memories. During certain stages of sleep, the part of your brain associated with learning and forming new memories works closely with another part of the brain to encode and strengthen long-term memory. Scientists recommend an average of 8 hours of sleep each day. It is not our intention to bore you with a long lecture on the many benefits of good sleep, We only seek to encourage you to seize this opportunity to kickstart a new habit of mindfully resting and sleeping well. Sleep isn’t a luxury or a time-wasting event, it is a necessity for our collective well-being. On a lighter note, salaries have just been paid, so the temptation to go out and have a good time is ever greater. Another benefit of sleeping is zero debit alerts. Vincentadministrator
Read more
COMPOS MENTIS LP NEWSLETTER!
A new Compos Mentis News Letter is out!!! In this edition, we discuss: • Dispute Resolution Channels – Preliminary Considerations • A Lighted Nigeria: The Electricity Bill 2021 To The Rescue? • The Launch Of The e-naira Wallet: A Welcome Development In The e-commerce Space? • The Role Of The Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN) Regulations In Moderating Banker- Customer Relationships • Copyright And Artists: The Forgotten Rights of Creatives (continued) • Sterling And People-Centric: Key Highlights of CMLP’S Corporate Social Projects Of 2021 Download your copy “HERE” Vincentadministrator
Read moreMedia Watch: NBA sets up 20 Committees; Congratulations to our MP.
Congratulations to our managing partner on her appointment by the NBA
Read moreWarricentric 2.0 5km Run
Ready, Set, Win. Cash prizes to be won. It’s another warricentric 5km run powered by Compos Mentis. Please see the flier for more details administrator
Read more
