Bayero University Kano (BUK) has announced plans to commence a Paralegal Studies programme aimed at expanding access to justice and creating alternative professional pathways within Nigeria’s legal system.

The programme will be hosted in the Department of Sociology under the Faculty of Social Sciences and will run in collaboration with the Faculty of Law. According to the university, the initiative is designed to equip participants with practical legal knowledge to support legal processes and improve access to justice, particularly at the community level.

The development followed discussions between BUK and Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) during an advocacy visit to the university on February 19, 2026.

The PRAWA delegation was led by its President, Uju Agomoh, who also chairs the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law. She was accompanied by the organisation’s Manager of Research and Documentation, Mohammed Dahiru Usman, and Programme Manager, Barrister Jennifer Madu.

Other members of the delegation included Professor Usman Shu’aibu, President of the Network of Paralegal Training Institutions; Professor Mainako Madaki, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at BUK; Dr. Aminu Musa, Head of the Department of Sociology; and Professor Nuhu Musa, Head of the Department of Public and Commercial Law.

Receiving the delegation, the Vice-Chancellor of BUK, Haruna Musa, described the proposed programme as timely, noting that the limited admission quota for the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme in Nigerian universities has restricted opportunities for many aspiring legal professionals.

He explained that the introduction of a structured Paralegal Studies programme would help broaden access to legal education while strengthening community-based legal support services.