By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah, President of the West African Bar Association and Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Liberia’s Law Reform Commission, has called on Africa’s emerging legal professionals to move beyond conventional legal practice and become key drivers of economic integration, legislative reform and continental transformation.
Addressing the Annual Conference of the Federation of African Law Students (FALAS) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Varmah challenged the continent’s next generation of lawyers to play a central role in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), modernizing legal systems, and eliminating regulatory barriers that continue to hinder trade and development across Africa.
Speaking on the theme, “Beyond Borders, Beyond Barriers: Africa’s Next Generation of Lawyers as Architects of Economic Integration, AfCFTA Implementation, and Pan-African Transformation,” Varmah argued that Africa’s economic future will depend not only on political commitments and natural resources, but also on strong laws, effective institutions and well-prepared legal professionals capable of shaping policies that promote growth and regional cooperation.
He urged law students to reflect on the kind of Africa they intend to help build, questioning whether future generations would inherit a continent constrained by fragmented regulations, cumbersome border procedures and limited economic opportunities, or one connected by legal frameworks that encourage trade, investment and innovation.
“The next phase of Africa’s liberation must include economic liberation, the freedom of African enterprise to create, innovate, produce and trade across our continent under fair and predictable rules,” Varmah declared.
He placed Africa’s economic integration agenda within the broader context of the continent’s historical struggle for independence and self-determination, noting that political sovereignty must now be complemented by deeper economic cooperation.
According to Varmah, the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963 and its transformation into the African Union (AU) in 2002 reflected Africa’s long-standing commitment to unity and collective development. Despite those achievements, significant barriers still prevent African economies from fully benefiting from regional and continental trade.
He noted that fragmented markets, infrastructure gaps, regulatory inconsistencies and limited industrial capacity continue to constrain intra-African commerce. Citing historical data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), he observed that intra-African trade accounted for only about 15.2 percent of the continent’s total trade between 2015 and 2017, underscoring the need for stronger regional integration.
At the center of his remarks was the AfCFTA, a landmark initiative designed to establish a single African market for goods and services, encourage investment and deepen regional economic cooperation. Covering trade in goods and services, dispute settlement, investment, competition policy and intellectual property rights, the agreement officially entered into force in 2019, with trading commencing in January 2021.
Varmah described the AfCFTA as one of Africa’s most ambitious economic projects, capable of transforming the continent into a powerful economic bloc if effectively implemented.
The World Bank has projected that full implementation of the agreement could increase Africa’s income by approximately seven percent, or about US$450 billion, by 2035, while boosting intra-African trade significantly. However, Varmah cautioned that such gains would not materialize automatically.
“Signing an agreement is not the same as implementing it. Declaring an ambition is not the same as delivering its benefits,” he emphasized.
He stressed that the true measure of AfCFTA’s success would be whether farmers gain access to new markets, small businesses integrate into regional supply chains, technology firms expand their services across borders and ordinary citizens experience improved economic opportunities.
For those outcomes to become reality, he argued, African governments must strengthen customs administration, harmonize commercial regulations, ensure reliable contract enforcement and establish efficient dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Varmah further emphasized that legal reform must remain at the center of Africa’s integration agenda. Drawing from his leadership of Liberia’s Law Reform Commission, he noted that outdated laws, conflicting regulations and weak institutional frameworks often discourage investment and obstruct commercial growth.
Rather than seeking identical laws across all African countries, he advocated for legal harmonization through compatible standards, model legislation and mutual recognition frameworks that respect national sovereignty while facilitating cross-border business activity.
“Law reform is not merely about changing statutory language,” he said. “It is about creating the legal certainty necessary for economic growth, investment and development.”
He encouraged African law schools and professional associations to place greater emphasis on international trade law, competition policy, investment regulation, customs law and commercial arbitration. Such disciplines, he argued, are increasingly essential for lawyers operating in a rapidly integrating continental market.
Beyond trade and commerce, Varmah highlighted the growing importance of technology in Africa’s development agenda. He noted that digital commerce, financial technology, artificial intelligence and cross-border payment systems are creating unprecedented opportunities for African entrepreneurs.
However, he warned that technological advancement also raises critical legal questions relating to data protection, cybersecurity, consumer rights, intellectual property and competition regulation.
As a result, he urged universities to strengthen legal education in technology law and regulatory policy to equip future lawyers with the skills necessary to navigate emerging challenges.
Turning directly to students, Varmah outlined a six-point roadmap for the next generation of African legal professionals. He called on them to master the law while recognizing its broader purpose in promoting justice and development; think beyond national boundaries; champion law reform; embrace innovation; uphold integrity and accountability; and engage in community service and civic leadership.
“Leadership is not merely a title. It is a responsibility. And the law is not merely a profession. It is a public trust,” he told the gathering.
The Liberian legal scholar concluded by urging students to measure success not by titles or positions attained, but by the impact they make on society and the continent.
He envisioned an Africa where businesses operate seamlessly across borders, legal institutions collaborate effectively and economic opportunities extend to women, youth, small-scale traders and underserved communities.
