Ghana officially opens legal training to universities after 68 years, ends Ghana School of Law’s monopoly

• Ghana has ended the Ghana School of Law’s 68-year monopoly after President John Mahama signed the Legal Education Reform Bill (2025) into law.

• Accredited universities will now be allowed to offer professional legal training, supervised by a new Council for Legal Education.

• A National Bar Examination will be introduced, marking a major shift in how lawyers are trained and certified in Ghana.

Ghana has officially opened professional legal training to universities across the country after President John Mahama signed the Legal Education Reform Bill (2025) into law on Monday, May 11, 2026.

The reform ends the long-standing monopoly of the Ghana School of Law and allows accredited universities to deliver structured professional legal training for aspiring lawyers.

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The bill was passed by Parliament on March 26, 2026, paving the way for a new legal education framework designed to expand access while maintaining professional standards.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Jubilee House, President Mahama said the reform balances regulation with opportunity.

He stated:

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Attorney General Dominic Ayine confirmed that implementation will begin immediately with new regulatory structures. He said:

He added that accreditation of universities offering the law practice course will also begin this year.

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The Ghana School of Law, established in 1958 by President Kwame Nkrumah, has served as the country’s sole institution for professional legal training for decades.

Since producing its first lawyers in 1963, it has trained more than 12,000 legal professionals, including judges and senior state officials.

However, limited intake capacity created a bottleneck for thousands of law graduates.

Under the new system, a Council for Legal Education and Training will regulate the sector, set standards, and accredit universities.

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Approved institutions will run a Law Practice Training Course, after which candidates will sit a National Bar Examination to qualify as lawyers.

While the reform has been widely welcomed as a step toward expanding access, it continues to generate debate within legal circles over quality assurance and implementation readiness.