Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
Select up to six documented jurisdictions
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| Attribute | NigeriaReviewed | PanamaReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Mixed (common law, customary law, Sharia) | Civil law |
| System of government | Federal presidential republic | Unitary presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria | Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama |
| In force since | 1999 | 1972 |
| Capital | Abuja | Panama City |
| Official languages | English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo | Spanish |
| Currency | Naira (NGN) | Balboa (US dollar in circulation) (PAB) |
| Population | 223,800,000 | 4,400,000 |
| Division of powers | Federal separation between the President, a bicameral National Assembly and the judiciary, replicated at state level. The Exclusive, Concurrent and Residual Legislative Lists allocate competence between the federation and the 36 states. | Unitary, with ten provinces and five indigenous comarcas. The comarcas — Guna Yala, Emberá-Wounaan, Ngäbe-Buglé, Guna de Madugandí and Guna de Wargandí — hold recognised collective land title and internal authority. |
| How law is made | Three readings in each chamber, committee scrutiny, then harmonisation of the two texts by a conference committee. The President assents or withholds; the Assembly can override a veto by two-thirds of both chambers. | Bills receive three debates in the National Assembly. The President may object in whole or in part; the Assembly insists with a two-thirds vote, after which the President must promulgate unless the objection was constitutional, in which case the Supreme Court decides. |
| Legal profession | A fused profession: a law degree, the Nigerian Law School and call to the Bar admit a single legal practitioner who both advises and appears. Senior Advocate of Nigeria is the senior rank. | Practice requires a Panamanian law degree and a licence from the Supreme Court; the Colegio Nacional de Abogados is influential but membership is voluntary. Only Panamanian lawyers may appear in court, which is why offshore work is routinely structured through local counsel. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.