NBA-SBL 2025: Lawyers, Leaders and Innovators Converge to Shape the Future of Business Law in an Intelligence Age

As digital transformation continues to redefine industries across the globe, Nigeria’s legal sector is gearing up for a timely conversation about its own future. From July 2 to 4, 2025, legal professionals, business leaders, policymakers, and innovators will gather at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos, for the 19th Annual Business Law Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL).

Themed “The Future of Business Law in an Intelligence Age,” the conference will convene a cross-section of legal minds, policymakers, business executives, and tech leaders to engage with the evolving realities of an intelligence-driven economy. From artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to cross-border regulation and automation, the conversation will focus on how lawyers must evolve in a time where digital systems are not just tools but drivers of transformation.

One of the most anticipated moments of the Conference is the keynote address by His Highness Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.. Explaining the decision behind his selection, Ms. Solape Peters, Chair of the Conference Planning Committee (CPC), noted that “His Highness Khalifa Sanusi II is a well-respected public figure known for his innovative leadership. We wanted a keynote speaker who could set the tone for the conference, demonstrate value, and impact the conversations to be had.”

For NBA-SBL Chair, Ozofu Ogiemudia, this year’s gathering reflects a broader commitment to equipping lawyers for relevance in a fast-changing world. “We expect the legal landscape to increasingly include digital transformation, collaboration, and automation of routine services,” she said. “These shifts will enable lawyers to run their practices more efficiently and deliver greater value.”

Over three days, attendees will participate in five plenary sessions, six breakout sessions, two masterclasses, and a structured mentoring forum. The programme also includes an opening lunch, sponsor-exclusive networking events, and the now-celebrated closing party. But beyond the structure, the content is intentionally forward-thinking.

Yeside Asolo, the Programme and Content Chair, described the agenda as a roadmap to the profession’s future. “We are exploring topics like the impact of AI on contract negotiations, cybersecurity risk, data sovereignty, and aligning Nigerian business law with global compliance expectations,” she said.

For Peters, the conference is not just about adapting to change, it us about driving it. “Lawyers are not just observers; we shape the frameworks that determine how innovation operates in society,” she emphasized. “We are creating a space where lawyers begin to see themselves as partners in technological evolution—not opponents of it.”

Indeed, the tone of this year’s conference is both pragmatic and visionary. In a time when clients are benchmarking Nigerian lawyers against their international counterparts, Ogiemudia stressed the need for rapid digitization and increased legal-tech adoption. “Clients now compare us to American or European lawyers. This means we can’t afford to be behind. We must move beyond paperwork and into strategic, tech-driven advisory.”
For the NBA-SBL, the 2025 conference isn’t just another event on the calendar. It is a declaration of intent. In gathering legal practitioners, thought leaders, and innovators under one roof, the association is signaling that the future of Nigerian business law is not just digital—it’s intelligent, collaborative, and boldly global.

As the countdown to July begins, expectations are high, but so too is the promise: a profession ready to lead, not lag, in Nigeria’s digital age.