NBA-AGC 2026: CJN Urges Legal Profession to Embrace Responsible Use of AI in Legal Practice
Rivers State Chief Judge Hon. Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, representing the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, at the opening of the 66th Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, delivered a keynote address urging lawyers and judges to adopt technology and artificial intelligence responsibly. He cautioned that complacency and resistance to change could leave the legal profession lagging behind global standards.
Under the conference theme “Beyond Limits”, the CJN congratulated Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo‑Okusanya, SAN, on her election as the 33rd President of the NBA, describing her emergence as the Association’s first elected female president as a landmark achievement. She noted that her victory reflects courage, competence, and the trust of NBA members, reinforcing that leadership in the profession must rest on excellence and ability, not gender.
The address highlighted ongoing judicial reforms, including the National Case Management System (NCMS) and the Mandatory Electronic Filing of Processes and Records, which took effect on July 1, 2026. These initiatives, the CJN explained, are designed to modernise justice delivery, improve efficiency, and enhance responsiveness to litigants and counsel. She expressed hope that the Supreme Court’s adoption of digital case management would inspire courts nationwide to embrace similar systems.
While stressing the benefits of digitalisation, the CJN reminded the profession that justice must remain humane, as each case represents real people seeking protection and fairness. Judges, she said, must uphold independence and impartiality, while lawyers must represent clients fearlessly and with integrity.
The address also underscored the need to make justice more accessible and affordable for ordinary Nigerians, urging the NBA to leverage technology to reduce delays and restore public trust. The “lawyer of the future,” she charged, must combine legal competence with technological awareness, sound judgment, and professional discipline.
Closing her remarks, the CJN called on the NBA to strengthen institutions, expand access to justice, and ensure that ordinary citizens can approach the courts with confidence, dignity, and fairness — the true test of the profession’s success.
