The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, on Wednesday called on lawyers and judicial officers to embrace technology and innovation, warning that failure to adapt could render them irrelevant in the rapidly changing legal profession.
Osigwe made the call in Jalingo, Taraba State, during the NBA Law Week 2026, where he emphasized the need for the legal profession to align with global developments.
He said technological advancements have transformed legal practice globally, noting 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.
He referenced the shift from manual typewriters to computers and modern digital systems, adding that new technologies now provide tools to improve efficiency and simplify legal processes.
Osigwe also cited companies such as Nokia and IBM as examples of organisations that lost relevance due to failure to innovate.
“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.
He further advocated for the adoption of digital solutions such as electronic filing systems in courts, noting that it would reduce workload for both lawyers and judges, particularly in complex cases like election petitions.
The NBA president also expressed concern over rising health challenges within the profession, attributing sudden deaths among lawyers to stress and hypertension, and urged practitioners to prioritise their health.
He commended the NBA Jalingo Branch for its active involvement in national programmes.
In his keynote address, Justice of the Court of Appeal, Nnamdi Dimgba, also stressed the importance of technology adoption, continuous learning, and mentorship in the legal profession.
Speaking on the theme, “Raising the Bar: Equipping Lawyers for the Modern Legal Landscape,” he described the modern lawyer as a “hybrid” professional who must blend traditional legal ethics with digital skills.
He highlighted emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, data privacy, and digital evidence, while stressing the need for careful use of AI tools in legal practice.
“The day you stop learning is the day you begin your professional retirement,” he said, urging senior lawyers to embrace both mentorship and reverse mentorship from younger colleagues.
Dimgba identified weak institutional systems, poor mentorship culture, and slow adoption of technology as key challenges facing the legal profession, calling for reforms.