The 16th Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, has declared that the legal profession in Nigeria is facing an existential crisis in the wake of rapidly advancing technologies.
Sanusi delivered the sobering warning in Lagos on Tuesday during his keynote address at the 19th Annual International Business Law Conference organised by the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL).
The event, themed “The Future of Business Law in an Intelligence Age,” drew over 1,000 legal professionals from across the globe.
According to Sanusi, the traditional role of lawyers as draftsmen, custodians of precedents, and gatekeepers of due process is increasingly becoming obsolete due to the disruptive influence of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, big data, and blockchain.
“The lawyer, as we have known him, is at risk of becoming obsolete. Not because the law is dying, but because the world is moving faster than your doctrines,” he said.
Sanusi emphasised that the legal profession is not entering a technological transformation — it is already engulfed in one. He stressed that lawyers must innovate or risk irrelevance in a world that is being reshaped by intelligent systems and digital processes.
> “Artificial Intelligence is no longer a buzzword. It is now embedded in our everyday lives. As such, legal education must evolve. A 21st-century lawyer must understand corporate law and the significance of technology — including data privacy, cybersecurity, and emerging digital risks.”
He urged law schools and professional bodies to redesign their curricula to reflect the realities of the Intelligence Age, insisting that continuing legal education must incorporate technological proficiency as a fundamental requirement.
“We cannot continue to train lawyers for a world that no longer exists,” Sanusi added.
He highlighted both the risks and opportunities presented by the ongoing digital revolution, stating that while automation could disrupt traditional legal services, it also offers practitioners a chance to enhance efficiency, profitability, and client experience.
The former monarch also called on lawyers to uphold ethics, equity, and justice in the use of new technologies, warning that power without responsibility could deepen inequalities.
> “It is not just about augmented capabilities. Intelligence in this age must come with ethical responsibility,” he said.
The conference, a flagship event of the NBA-SBL, convened thought leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore how business law can remain relevant and effective amid sweeping changes in the global legal and economic landscape.
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