NBA Urges Lawyers To Embrace Technology, Innovation For Modern Practice

The president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe, on Wednesday called on lawyers and judicial officers to adopt technology and innovation, warning that failure to adapt could render them irrelevant in a fast-changing legal landscape.

Osigwe made the remarks in Jalingo, Taraba State, during the NBA Law Week 2026, where he stressed the need for the legal profession to align with global developments.

He noted that technological advancement has already reshaped legal practice across the world, cautioning that practitioners who refuse to evolve risk being left behind.

“The world is changing, and the legal profession must be prepared for the changing times. We cannot continue to do things the way we used to do,” he said.

The NBA president recalled the shift from manual typewriters to computers and the rise of digital communication, adding that emerging technologies now present opportunities to streamline legal processes and improve efficiency.

He referenced the collapse of global giants such as Nokia and IBM as examples of organisations that failed to keep pace with innovation.

“Nokia dominated the mobile phone industry at a time, but it failed because it refused to innovate. The legal profession must learn from that,” he said.

Osigwe also pushed for the wider use of digital tools, including electronic filing of court processes, noting that such systems would reduce workload for lawyers and judges, particularly in complex cases like election petitions that involve voluminous documents.

He further expressed concern over increasing health challenges within the profession, linking cases of sudden deaths among lawyers to stress and high blood pressure, and urged practitioners to prioritise their wellbeing.

Commending the NBA Jalingo Branch for its active involvement in national programmes, Osigwe encouraged continued participation and engagement.

In his keynote address, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Court of Appeal also advocated stronger technological adoption, continuous learning, and structured mentorship within the legal profession.

Speaking on the theme: “Raising the Bar: Equipping Lawyers for the Modern Legal Landscape,” Dimgba said the future lawyer must blend traditional legal ethics with digital competence, describing this new professional model as a hybrid practitioner.

He observed that modern legal practice now demands familiarity with emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, data privacy, and digital evidence, while stressing the importance of critical judgment in the use of AI tools.

“The day you stop learning is the day you begin your professional retirement,” he said, urging senior lawyers to embrace mentorship, including reverse mentorship with younger colleagues.

Dimgba also identified weak institutional structures, poor mentorship culture, and slow technology adoption as key challenges confronting the profession. The Law Week attracted participants from Taraba and several other states, including Niger, Gombe, Adamawa, Benue, and the FCT.