The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has delivered a strong and unequivocal message at the International Bar Association (IBA) Bar Issues Commission Committee on International Trade in Legal Services (BIC–ITILS) Cross-Border Conference. In his welcome address, he reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to a fair, competitive, and globally respected legal services ecosystem, stressing that Nigerian lawyers must never be relegated to subordinate roles in their own jurisdiction. Osigwe emphasized that as cross-border legal practice expands in response to global commercial growth, principles of fairness, mutual respect, and balanced collaboration must remain at the heart of international engagements.
The NBA President further highlighted key developments within Nigeria’s regulatory framework, including proposed provisions in the Legal Practitioners Bill that would allow limited participation of foreign lawyers under strict conditions. While acknowledging the potential benefits of such collaboration, he cautioned against any arrangement that could undermine local practitioners or distort the nation’s legal space. Osigwe also expressed optimism about Nigeria’s capacity to host the IBA Annual Conference in the near future, noting the country’s impressive representation at the recent conference in Canada as evidence of its readiness to engage the global legal community on equal footing.
Read full statement below;
I had the honour of delivering the welcome address at the International Bar Association (IBA) Bar Issues Commission Committee on International Trade in Legal Services (BIC–ITILS) Cross-Border Conference. In my remarks, I reiterated Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to a fair and balanced global legal services ecosystem.
I emphasized the need for fairness in cross-border legal practice, especially as international commercial activity continues to expand. I noted that while globalisation offers immense opportunities for collaboration, it must never diminish the role or relevance of domestic legal practitioners. Instead, it should encourage cooperation that respects national legal systems and promotes equitable professional relationships.
I also highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge, working as equals, and strengthening engagements across jurisdictions. Effective cross-border practice requires mutual respect, peer learning, and genuine collaboration that upholds professional standards and advances our collective capacity.
On developments within our domestic regulatory space, I drew attention to the proposed provisions in the Legal Practitioners Bill (LPA) which contemplate limited participation of foreign lawyers under strict conditions in Nigeria. I expressed the hope that, if enacted, these provisions will be implemented responsibly and not abused by foreign practitioners in ways that sideline or undermine Nigerian lawyers.
Nigerian lawyers must never be treated as junior partners in their own jurisdiction. We must be seen as euqal partners, and engaged as major stakeholders, not minority participants, in any foreign collaboration conducted within our legal space.
Finally, I expressed the hope that Nigeria will one day host the IBA Annual Conference. Our outstanding representation at the most recent conference in Canada, where Nigeria recorded the largest national delegation, demonstrates our readiness and enthusiasm to welcome the global legal community to our country.
Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN
President, Nigerian Bar Association
