Dare Babalola
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, is pushing for stronger legal collaboration with Liberia, highlighting the potential for West African justice system boost.
Osigwe, in a statement shared via X on Wednesday, conveyed warm greetings from Nigeria’s legal community to Liberia’s judiciary and bar during his speech at the Supreme Court of Liberia’s March 2026 term opening.
He described the court’s new term as “an important institutional tradition that symbolises the judiciary’s enduring commitment to justice, the rule of law, and democratic governance.”
He noted that the opening of a court term is “not merely ceremonial but represents a renewed affirmation of the legal profession’s sacred duty to safeguard constitutional values, promote institutional integrity, and ensure that justice remains accessible to all.”
Commending Liberia’s judiciary, Osigwe said the country’s Bench and Bar “continue to demonstrate resilience and dedication to strengthening the foundations of constitutional democracy” and lauded their “commitment to upholding the rule of law and maintaining public confidence in the justice system.”
Highlighting historic ties between the two countries, the NBA President said Nigeria and Liberia “share deep historical ties and a common vision of a just, stable, and prosperous West Africa.”
He emphasised that the legal communities of both nations have “a vital role to play in advancing that vision through collaboration, knowledge exchange, and collective advocacy.”
Osigwe also stressed that the rapidly evolving global legal environment requires Bars and legal professionals “to remain proactive, innovative, and united in addressing contemporary issues affecting justice delivery.”
He reaffirmed the NBA’s commitment to fostering professional collaboration with Liberia, proposing “expanded partnerships in continuing professional development and capacity building, including structured training programmes, joint conferences, young lawyers’ exchange initiatives, and virtual learning platforms.”
He noted that such initiatives would “enhance advocacy standards, deepen ethics compliance, strengthen legal research culture, and promote specialisation in emerging areas of legal practice relevant to modern governance and economic development.”
On regional cooperation, Osigwe said, “harmonisation of legal frameworks and professional collaboration among legal practitioners will be essential in strengthening cross-border legal services, arbitration, mediation, and dispute resolution mechanisms capable of attracting investment and boosting investor confidence across the region.”
Addressing the influence of technology in justice delivery, he emphasised that Bars and judiciaries in West Africa must collaborate on innovations such as “electronic filing systems, virtual hearings, legal technology adoption, cybersecurity awareness, and the responsible integration of artificial intelligence within legal practice,” while ensuring that “fairness, due process, and judicial integrity remain paramount.”
He concluded by expressing hope that the March 2026 Term “would usher in renewed commitment to principled advocacy, stronger institutions, and greater public trust in the justice system,” and assured the Liberian Bench and Bar of “the continued solidarity, friendship, and partnership of the Nigerian Bar Association in advancing the rule of law and building a stronger regional legal community.”
