By Benjamin Q. Z. Johnson
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — The President of the West African Bar Association (WABA) and Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Liberia’s Law Reform Commission, Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah, has challenged Africa’s next generation of lawyers to move beyond traditional courtroom practice and take a leading role in removing legal and institutional barriers to continental trade and economic development.
Addressing the annual conference of the Federation of African Law Students (FALAS) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Varmah argued that Africa’s pursuit of economic integration will remain largely aspirational unless governments translate regional and continental agreements into enforceable laws, effective institutions and tangible economic opportunities for ordinary citizens.
Speaking under the theme, “Beyond Borders, Beyond Barriers: Africa’s Next Generation of Lawyers as Architects of Economic Integration, AfCFTA Implementation, and Pan-African Transformation,” the Liberian legal professional called for comprehensive legal reforms, stronger cross-border cooperation and greater participation by young lawyers in shaping Africa’s economic future.
Varmah’s address placed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) at the centre of the continent’s economic transformation agenda, while raising questions about the gap between political commitments and practical implementation.
“Signing an agreement is not the same as implementing it. Declaring an ambition is not the same as delivering its benefits,” Varmah told the gathering.
The Law Reform Chairperson message underscored a fundamental challenge facing African integration: whether governments can overcome regulatory inconsistencies, cumbersome customs procedures, weak commercial dispute-resolution mechanisms and other obstacles that limit trade among African countries.
The AfCFTA Agreement, which entered into force in 2019, was designed to establish a single continental market for goods and services, promote investment and strengthen economic cooperation among African countries. Trading under the agreement officially commenced on January 1, 2021.
However, Varmah cautioned that the existence of a continental trade framework does not automatically guarantee that businesses, entrepreneurs and workers will benefit from it.
He challenged African governments to ensure that the agreement produces measurable results, including wider markets for farmers, improved access to regional supply chains for small businesses and greater opportunities for technology-driven enterprises.
The challenge, according to the WABA president, extends beyond trade negotiations. It requires governments to establish predictable regulatory systems, strengthen institutions and ensure that commercial agreements can be enforced fairly and efficiently.
The former Bar remarks point to a critical question for African policymakers: how can a continent-wide market function effectively when businesses must navigate different national laws, administrative requirements and dispute-resolution systems?
He argued that differences in commercial legislation and regulatory practices should not become unnecessary barriers to legitimate business activities across national borders.
Nevertheless, achieving that objective will require sustained political commitment, institutional capacity and cooperation among governments, rather than declarations of continental solidarity alone.
Varmah’s address also placed the legal profession under pressure to confront the structural obstacles that continue to complicate economic integration.
He questioned why African entrepreneurs should encounter unnecessary difficulties when attempting to sell goods in neighbouring countries and why differences in customs procedures and commercial regulations should prevent businesses from accessing opportunities across the continent.
According to him, Africa’s next phase of development must include economic liberation, allowing African enterprises to create, innovate, produce and trade under fair and predictable rules.
However, he cautioned against interpreting legal harmonization as a demand for every African country to adopt identical laws.
Instead, he advocated compatible legal standards, model legislation, mutual recognition arrangements and other mechanisms capable of facilitating cooperation while respecting national sovereignty and different legal traditions.
“The goal is not uniformity for its own sake; it is legal coherence in the service of African prosperity,” he emphasized.
The position highlights the delicate balance between national sovereignty and continental integration. While governments retain authority over their domestic legal systems, the absence of compatible rules can complicate cross-border commerce and increase the cost of doing business.
Varmah’s argument is that legal reform must therefore be treated as a practical component of economic policy, not merely as a technical exercise conducted by legal institutions.
The WABA president urged African law students to broaden their professional ambitions beyond conventional courtroom advocacy.
While acknowledging the importance of independent judges, ethical prosecutors, competent advocates and public defenders, he argued that Africa also needs lawyers capable of drafting modern legislation, negotiating commercial agreements, advising governments on international trade and designing effective regulatory frameworks.
He identified customs law, investment law, competition policy, commercial arbitration, intellectual property, digital trade and emerging technologies as areas requiring greater attention from the continent’s future legal professionals.
Varmah, speaking from his experience as head of Liberia’s Law Reform Commission, stressed that outdated legislation and poorly designed regulations can undermine economic opportunities and weaken the effectiveness of government policies.
He maintained that law reform should focus on identifying legal obstacles, strengthening institutions and ensuring that national laws respond to contemporary social and economic realities.
The challenge to African law students was direct: acquire the expertise needed to influence policymaking, improve legal systems and support businesses operating across jurisdictions.
“Do not prepare yourselves merely to practise law in Africa. Prepare yourselves to help shape the future of law in Africa,” he urged.
Varmah also highlighted the growing importance of technology in Africa’s economic integration agenda.
He pointed to digital platforms, financial technology, artificial intelligence and cross-border payment systems as areas offering opportunities for African businesses, while creating new legal questions involving data protection, cybersecurity, intellectual property, consumer rights and competition.
He called on African law faculties to strengthen training in international trade, technology law, commercial regulation and alternative dispute resolution.
He also encouraged FALAS to establish continental research networks, organize AfCFTA moot court competitions, promote comparative legal research and develop policy proposals addressing barriers to economic integration.
Such initiatives, he argued, could help young lawyers contribute directly to legislative reform and policy development before assuming senior positions in government or the legal profession.
The proposal reflects a broader challenge for legal education: preparing students not only to interpret existing laws but also to understand how emerging technologies and changing business models require new regulatory approaches.
Beyond trade and technology, Varmah warned that economic integration cannot succeed without respect for the rule of law, accountability and institutional integrity.
He challenged students to identify outdated legislation, investigate unnecessary legal barriers and develop practical proposals for reform.
He also urged them to understand the social purpose of legal education, arguing that professional success should be accompanied by public service and a commitment to improving the lives of ordinary people.
“Leadership is not merely a title. It is a responsibility. And the law is not merely a profession. It is a public trust,” he said.
The message placed ethical leadership alongside technical competence as a requirement for the success of Africa’s integration agenda.
For businesses to operate confidently across borders, legal institutions must provide predictable rules, fair dispute resolution and protection against arbitrary administrative practices. Without those safeguards, the opportunities promised by continental trade arrangements may remain inaccessible to many small enterprises and underserved communities.
Varmah called for an Africa in which businesses can access markets across national boundaries, commercial disputes are resolved fairly and legal institutions support innovation, investment and inclusive growth.
He maintained that such a future would require sound laws, capable institutions, responsible leadership and the willingness to challenge longstanding barriers to cooperation.
Cllr Varmah address lies in the test that now confronts African governments and legal institutions: whether the continent can move from announcing ambitious integration goals to demonstrating concrete results.
The effectiveness of the AfCFTA will ultimately depend not only on the agreement itself but also on how participating countries implement their commitments, address practical barriers and create opportunities for businesses and workers.
Varmah called on young lawyers to judge progress by results rather than declarations.
“Do not simply ask whether an agreement has been signed. Ask whether its benefits are reaching the people,” he told the students.
He concluded by urging the next generation of African legal professionals to help transform the AfCFTA from a continental commitment into a functioning framework that benefits businesses, workers, innovators and families.
The challenge is clear: economic integration requires more than shared aspirations. It demands enforceable rules, effective institutions, accountable leadership and sustained cooperation.
Whether Africa’s next generation of lawyers can help close the gap between continental ambition and practical implementation will depend on their ability to turn legal knowledge into reforms that produce measurable benefits for the people they serve.
“Let us move from fragmentation to cooperation, from promises to implementation, and from symbolic unity to practical solidarity,” Varmah declared.
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