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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Nigerian Lawyers Urged to Embrace AI, Networking for Competitiveness

From ThisDay · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Nigerian lawyers must adopt artificial intelligence and strategic networking to stay competitive.
  • Human behavior, not just legal strategy, significantly impacts negotiation outcomes, according to experts.
  • Clients increasingly value trust and understanding of their business needs over technical skills, with AI influencing lawyer discovery.

Legal professionals in Nigeria are urged to embrace artificial intelligence and enhance their negotiation and networking skills to thrive in a dynamic legal and business landscape. This call to action came at the 20th Annual International Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL) in Abuja.

human behaviour accounts for nearly 70% of negotiation outcomes, outweighing legal positions, facts and strategy.

— Mr Ayuli JemideDuring a session on negotiation at the NBA-SBL conference, challenging conventional assumptions about deal-making.

The conference, themed “Beyond Reforms – Measuring Policy Impact,” convened legal experts, business leaders, and policymakers to discuss emerging trends. Ayuli Jemide emphasized that human behavior drives about 70% of negotiation success, urging lawyers to research counterparts, find common ground, and build trust through authenticity.

while technical competence remains important, clients increasingly make decisions based on trust, relationships and a Lawyer’s understanding of their business needs.

— Abena PokuSpeaking on business development and networking at the conference.

Discussions on business development highlighted that clients often choose lawyers based on trust and understanding of their needs, not just technical expertise. Abena Poku of XOI Marketing noted that AI influences online lawyer discovery, making consistent content creation crucial. Andrew Skipper advised Nigerian lawyers to leverage regional integration and cross-border activities in Africa through strategic networking.

the most successful proposals are those that provide value, show partnership and align closely with the objectives of clients.

— Toyin OjoOffering a client perspective on what makes a successful legal proposal.

AI is transforming areas like due diligence, document review, and contract drafting. However, experts warn against over-reliance on AI, stating that lawyers must combine technological tools with critical thinking and professional judgment to avoid displacement.

Lawyers who fail to adapt, risk being displaced by those who effectively combine technological tools with critical thinking, professional judgement and institutional knowledge.

— Mr Ope OlugbasaWarning about the future of legal practice in the face of AI transformation.
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Originally published by ThisDay in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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