THE ROLE OFARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN NIGERIAN LEGAL RESEARCH: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing how legal research is done worldwide, and Nigeria is no exception. What once required hours of flipping through law reports and textbooks can now be done in minutes with AI-powered legal tools, which makes legal research faster, more efficient, and more accessible. But with this transformation comes a set of difficult questions: Can AI-generated legal research be trusted? Who is responsible if an AI tool gives inaccurate legal advice? Will AI replace human lawyers or simply make their work easier? This paper examines the role of AI in Nigerian legal research, exploring both its potential and its pitfalls. It looks at how AI is already being used by Nigerian lawyers, the ethical and legal challenges that come with it, and how other countries are regulating AI in legal practice. Drawing insights from global AI frameworks, this study proposes recommendations to ensure that AI in Nigerian legal research is used responsibly, ethically, and in a way that strengthens, rather than weakens, the legal profession.