Author Guidelines

The Ahmadu Bello University Law Journal publishes original research papers, review articles, and case law review covering all aspects of law. Manuscripts should be written in clear, concise English and must not have been published or submitted for publication elsewhere.

• Original Research Papers: These are comprehensive reports of significant research findings. Papers should not be longer than 20 pages, including tables, figures, and references.
• Review Articles: These are critical evaluations of existing knowledge in a specific field of law. Reviews should be authoritative, comprehensive, and not exceed 20 pages.
• Statute or Case Law Review: Research focused on the review of decisions of courts, especially the Supreme Court and recent legislation in Nigeria.

Manuscripts should be prepared with numbered lines, with wide margins and double line spacing throughout, including abstracts, footnotes, and references. Endnote is NOT acceptable. Every page of the manuscript should be numbered and should not exceed 20 pages.

Manuscripts should be organized in the following order:

1. Title Page: This should include the title, author names and affiliations, and the corresponding author's contact information.
2. Abstract: This should be a concise summary of the paper, not exceeding 250 words.
3. Keywords: Provide 4–6 keywords that describe the content of the paper.
4. Introduction: This should provide the background and objectives of the research.
5. Sub-heads: Subheads must be numbered in the decimal format (1.1 – 1.1.1, 1.2 – 1.2.1 – 1.2.2).
6. Accuracy: Special attention should be given to footnotes, symbols and references, which should be accurate and complete.
7. Discussion: This should explore the significance of the results.
8. Word Count: The manuscript of articles should not exceed 8,000 words while Case/Statute review should not exceed 4,000 words.
9. Conclusion: The main conclusions of the study, highlighting the findings and recommendations.
10. References: Manuscript must strictly adhere to the reference style as outlined in the NALT Citation Guide.

The ABU Law Journal uses the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT) Citation Guide (4th Edition 2025). Footnote referencing is therefore the only acceptable method for acknowledgment of sources of information and materials.

• Assessment Fee: Authors are required to pay the sum of ₦10,000 as an assessment fee.
• Peer Review: If subjected to a plagiarism check and the manuscript passes the initial review, it will be sent for double-blind peer review.
• Publication Fee: The sum of ₦20,000 shall be paid as a publication fee if the article successfully passes the review process.

Publication of articles indicates contributors' consent to the automatic transfer of all copyrights thereto to the publisher of the Ahmadu Bello University Law Journal.