THE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has pledged wide-ranging reforms in the areas of law, governance, economy, technology, gender equality, taxation, infrastructure, and financial accountability at the end of its 65th Annual General Conference.
The association said the resolutions were part of its commitment to strengthen the legal profession and inspire reforms that would promote justice, equity, and development in Nigeria and Africa.
In a communiqué issued on Monday in Abuja after the week-long conference, the NBA called for the modernisation of the legal system to enhance access to justice and align with global standards.
It said deliberate steps must be taken to dismantle barriers preventing the poor and vulnerable from accessing redress, including promotion of affordable litigation, stronger legal aid, and expansion of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
The communiqué urged replication of financial autonomy for the judiciary as implemented in Enugu State across the federation.
It also called for removal of intra-African barriers to development, including visa restrictions, and promotion of local industries and cultural pride.
On inclusivity, the NBA resolved that lawyers must show courage in confronting corruption, impunity, and injustice within and outside the profession while advancing equity and fairness in the society.
The communiqué said that reforms in legal education were necessary to ensure the Legal Practitioners Act and Rules of Professional Conduct were updated to meet present realities.
It recommended institutionalisation of a national mentorship framework to connect senior lawyers with younger practitioners, while ethics training and continuing development programmes should be deepened.
On artificial intelligence (AI), the NBA resolved that structured engagement with AI was required, including development of Nigeria-specific legal AI models trained on domestic statutes and case law.
It recommended integration of AI literacy, ethics, and data protection into the curriculum of law schools and continuing professional education for judges, lawyers, and court staff.
The communiqué said adoption of AI must be supported by ethical safeguards, professional oversight, and continuous human supervision to prevent abuse.
On the economy, delegates called for reforms to curb reckless political spending, enforce transparency in public finance, and strengthen accountability for mismanagement.
It said socio-economic impact assessments should precede major policy changes and that protective measures must be adopted to shield vulnerable groups.
The communiqué recommended urgent review of the minimum wage to reflect inflation realities and urged all states to implement it.
It called for deepening of public-private partnerships to boost job creation, processing of solid minerals locally rather than raw export, and policies that build investor confidence.
