By Anuoluwa Amao
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe, has called for deeper legal collaboration between Nigeria and Liberia, stressing the role of legal professionals in strengthening justice systems across West Africa.
In a statement shared on X on Wednesday, Osigwe delivered the message at the formal opening of the March 2026 term of the Supreme Court of Liberia, where he conveyed “warm goodwill and solidarity from the Nigerian legal community to the Bench and Bar of Liberia.”
He described the commencement of the court’s new term as an important institutional tradition that reflects the judiciary’s commitment to justice, the rule of law and democratic governance.
According to him, the opening of a court term is more than a ceremonial event, noting that it represents a renewed commitment by legal professionals to uphold constitutional values, promote institutional integrity and ensure access to justice.
Osigwe commended Liberia’s judiciary, stating that the country’s Bench and Bar have continued to demonstrate resilience and dedication in strengthening the foundations of constitutional democracy.
He also highlighted the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and Liberia, noting that both countries share deep historical ties and a common vision of a just, stable and prosperous West Africa.
The NBA president emphasised that legal communities in both nations have a critical role to play in advancing that vision through collaboration, knowledge sharing and collective advocacy.
He further noted that the evolving global legal landscape requires Bars and legal professionals to remain proactive, innovative and united in addressing contemporary challenges affecting justice delivery.
Osigwe reaffirmed the NBA’s commitment to expanding professional collaboration with Liberia, proposing partnerships in continuing professional development and capacity building, including structured training programmes, joint conferences, young lawyers’ exchange initiatives and virtual learning platforms.
He explained that such initiatives would help improve advocacy standards, strengthen ethics compliance, deepen legal research culture and encourage specialisation in emerging areas of legal practice relevant to modern governance and economic development.
On regional cooperation, Osigwe said the harmonisation of legal frameworks and stronger collaboration among legal practitioners would help enhance cross-border legal services, arbitration, mediation and dispute resolution mechanisms capable of attracting investment and boosting investor confidence in the region.
He also stressed the growing role of technology in justice delivery, urging Bars and judiciaries across West Africa to collaborate on innovations such as electronic filing systems, virtual hearings, legal technology adoption, cybersecurity awareness and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in legal practice.
However, he emphasised that fairness, due process and judicial integrity must remain paramount as technology becomes more integrated into the justice system.
Osigwe expressed optimism that the March 2026 term of the Liberian Supreme Court would strengthen commitment to principled advocacy, stronger institutions and greater public trust in the justice system.
He also assured the Liberian Bench and Bar of the continued solidarity and partnership of the Nigerian Bar Association in advancing the rule of law and building a stronger regional legal community.