Impacts of Covid-19 on Development of Legal Research in Nigeria

Abstract

The Corona Virus pandemic otherwise known as (COVID-19) has been described as the most devastating health crisis in the last 100 years. It negatively impacts not only on health also on social, economic and wellbeing of the global population.  The government through its efforts to curtail the spread of the pandemic has diverted and prioritised resources meant for legal research to fight COVID-19. A doctrinal and non-doctrinal research methods of gathering data were adopted. The quantitative data was obtained using questionnaires as a legal research tool on thirty (30) researchers within the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. This is to provide an overview of how the government’s response to COVID-19 is affecting legal research and development in Nigeria.  The paper finds that little attention is being paid by the Government to legal researchers in term of research funds and grants. The paper recommends equal balance of the Government intervention particularly in the era of pandemic. It is of the view that such legal projects are essential and can be useful to establish policies, strategies and action plans that will cater for our nation in the event of a future pandemic.