Tinted permit policy review set to begin as NBA-SPIDEL and Nigeria Police agree to suspend enforcement and form a reform committee.

Tinted permit policy review is now officially on the table, as the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) and the Nigeria Police have reached a landmark agreement to reassess the controversial directive.

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The announcement was made by Prof. Paul Ananaba, SAN, Chairman of NBA-SPIDEL, during an interactive session held in Ikeja on Thursday.

The event, part of the build-up to the NBA-SPIDEL Annual Conference in Akwa Ibom this December, marked a key development in the growing public discourse around the harassment of motorists over tinted windows.

Ananaba revealed that following sustained engagements with senior police officers, both parties agreed to suspend enforcement of the policy pending the outcome of a joint review.

The committee, to be comprised of NBA-SPIDEL and Nigeria Police representatives, will examine the legal and national security implications of the directive, with the goal of recommending reforms that balance public interest with safety concerns.

“We’re not at odds with the police,” Ananaba noted. “Our engagements have been cooperative, not confrontational. We’re focused on transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.”

He further disclosed that NBA-SPIDEL has filed a legal suit against the police over alleged discriminatory practices linked to the policy. “

This is not activism for the sake of noise,” he added, “but a necessary action to protect citizens’ rights.”

The tinted permit policy had drawn sharp criticism in recent months after several reports emerged of motorists being unlawfully arrested or having their vehicles impounded** for not possessing permits, despite unclear enforcement guidelines.

Also speaking at the event was Mrs Adaobi Egboka, Director of the Africa Initiative at the Vance Centre, New York City Bar, who presented a proposal for long-term collaboration with NBA-SPIDEL to institutionalise pro bono legal services in Africa.

She advocated for a “Pro Bono Declaration for Africa” to commit law firms to offering free legal services to underserved populations.

The Vance Centre, which has successfully launched a Pro Bono Institute in Kenya, hopes to replicate similar models across Africa by partnering with legal bodies like NBA-SPIDEL.

“This initiative will deepen access to justice, enhance institutional accountability, and create a more inclusive legal profession,” Egboka said.

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With the tinted permit policy review now in motion and wider legal reforms on the horizon, NBA-SPIDEL’s role in steering policy discourse towards justice and development continues to gain momentum.