Rigid mindset, not lack of laws, hinders justice reform in Nigeria, says NBA chairman

Anthony Ojo, chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Garki branch in the federal capital territory (FCT), says the country’s justice system must evolve with global technological trends to remain effective and relevant.

Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Law Week of the NBA Garki branch, themed ‘Law, technology, and the society,’ Ojo said adopting digital tools could significantly improve and accelerate justice delivery in the country.

“Effective and speedy justice delivery through technology is achievable,” he said.

Ojo said the major challenge facing Nigeria’s legal system is not the absence of laws but a rigid mindset that resists innovation.

“When people talk about restructuring, I usually would say that we probably do not need new laws,” he said.

“Rather, we need to restructure our hearts and our minds to be open to making the legal environment and the justice environment more amenable to changes and developments that are happening across the world.

“And accepting technology as a tool to drive this is a major starting point.”

The NBA chairman warned that Nigeria risks being left behind as judicial systems in countries like the United Kingdom (UK) adopt artificial intelligence, remote hearings, and digital evidence procedures.

“We need to get to the point where we use technology and other necessary means to put an end to particularly long adjournments in court. It will reduce all sorts of excuses you hear,” he added.

Ojo noted that there should be an end to litigation, adding that not all cases should go to the appellate or supreme court.

He said the Law Week theme was carefully chosen to reflect the urgent need for the legal profession to adapt to rapidly evolving global trends.

“The theme for this year, law, technology, and society, is born out of the fact that law has developed through the years, and as the law develops, we as a country, as a nation, and as a society have to keep up with developments around the world,” he said.

“We have to update our knowledge. We have to update our practice. We have to keep up, because the manner of improvement in technological development across the world is going at a geometric progression.

“And if we do not keep up with the development, we will be left behind.”