President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, has called for urgent and far-reaching reforms in Nigeria’s legal education system, warning that the profession risks becoming disconnected from modern realities if legal training fails to evolve alongside technological, economic, and societal changes. Osigwe made the remarks while speaking at the 2026 NBA Legal Education Summit themed “Accelerating Legal Education Reform in Nigeria: Progress, Problems & Prospects,” where he stressed the need for a more practical, technology-driven, and skills-oriented approach to legal training.
The NBA President highlighted concerns over the declining level of practical exposure available to many young lawyers, noting that numerous newly called practitioners enter the profession without adequate mentorship, pupillage, or structured professional guidance. He advocated for stronger emphasis on advocacy skills, innovation, critical thinking, legal clinics, moot courts, technology-assisted learning, entrepreneurship, and virtual training platforms as part of efforts to modernise legal education in Nigeria. Osigwe further commended the NBA Legal Education Committee for creating a platform to discuss the future of legal training, stressing that the reform of legal education is directly tied to the quality of justice delivery, institutional development, and national progress.
Read full statement below;
RETHINKING THE FUTURE OF LEGAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
The world is changing faster than ever before. Technology is reshaping industries, economies are becoming more knowledge-driven, and societies are demanding lawyers who are not only learned in the law, but practical, innovative, adaptable, and solution-oriented. If legal education in Nigeria fails to evolve with these realities, we risk producing graduates prepared for yesterday’s world instead of tomorrow’s challenges.
Yesterday, at the 2026 NBA Legal Education Summit, I presented my remarks on the theme “Accelerating Legal Education Reform in Nigeria: Progress, Problems & Prospects,” where I shared my thoughts on the urgent need to reform and modernise our legal education system.
I stressed that legal education must move beyond excessive theoretical learning and embrace practical, technology-driven, and skills-based training capable of preparing lawyers for the realities of modern legal practice and national development.
One of the major concerns I highlighted is the declining level of practical exposure available to many young lawyers. A significant number of newly called lawyers enter practice without proper mentorship, pupillage, or structured professional guidance. This reality requires urgent attention if we are serious about building a stronger and more effective legal profession.
I also called for deeper conversations around the structure and duration of legal education in Nigeria, including whether the current framework adequately equips graduates with the competencies required in today’s rapidly evolving world. Our focus must increasingly shift towards competence, advocacy skills, critical thinking, innovation, and problem-solving.
Legal clinics, moot courts, workshops, technology-assisted learning, entrepreneurship, and virtual training platforms must become integral parts of legal education. The future lawyer must not only know the law but must also understand technology, commerce, governance, and the changing dynamics of society.
The reform of legal education is not merely an academic discussion. It is directly connected to the quality of justice delivery, the strength of our institutions, and the future of our country. A legal profession that fails to evolve risks becoming disconnected from the realities of the society it was created to serve.
I commend the NBA Legal Education Committee for convening the summit and creating an important platform for honest conversations about the future of legal training in Nigeria.
The time to rethink legal education is now!
Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN
President,
Nigerian Bar Association
