Africa’s legal sector is slowly but steadily embracing digital transformation, with legal technology (legaltech) emerging as a key driver of efficiency, collaboration, and access to justice. Yet, a new survey report, The State of Legaltech in Africa 2025, shows that while awareness is rising, adoption across the continent remains uneven — highlighting both opportunities and persistent barriers.
Rising Awareness, Limited Adoption
According to the survey, 56.8% of respondents are aware of legaltech tools, but only 21.6% actively use them in their work. A further 18.9% have used legaltech tools in the past, while just 2.7% said they had never heard of any. This growing awareness signals a positive shift, but adoption is still lagging behind.
The tools most commonly in use are:
- Document management systems (17.7%)
- Case management software (16.1%)
- Practice management systems (16.1%)
Their strongest impact has been felt in legal research (40.3%) and document drafting (24.2%), suggesting that technology is currently being deployed to ease repetitive, time-consuming tasks rather than client-facing work.
Benefits Driving Change
Respondents highlighted several clear benefits from integrating legaltech into their workflows:
- Time savings and efficiency (42.6%)
- Reduced errors and improved accuracy (23.5%)
- Better collaboration across teams (16.2%)
- Improved client service (13.2%)
These findings underscore that even limited adoption is already making legal practice faster, more accurate, and more collaborative.
Barriers to Growth
Despite the promise, significant hurdles remain. The biggest barriers identified include:
- High costs of tools and subscriptions
- Lack of training and onboarding support
- Resistance to change within firms
- Concerns over privacy and client confidentiality
For many small firms and solo practitioners, affordability is a critical factor. Without clear guarantees on data protection and compliance, professionals also hesitate to shift away from traditional methods.
The Future of Legaltech in Africa
Encouragingly, the survey found that over 90% of respondents are interested in AI-powered tools. These include automation platforms for contract workflows, research, drafting, and even AI systems that can explain African case law in plain language.
Respondents also emphasized the need for cloud-based collaboration platforms that allow lawyers, paralegals, and clients to work together in real time across locations. This demand highlights a shift toward more client-focused, user-friendly innovations.
To unlock this future, the report stresses the importance of:
- Closer collaboration between developers and lawyers to build context-specific tools
- Investment in legaltech education, particularly at law schools
- Supportive regulations that balance innovation with data privacy and ethical safeguards
- Funding and investment in African-led startups solving real access-to-justice challenges
A Growing Ecosystem With Global Potential
Local platforms such as Judy Legal, Law Pavilion, and Dennis Law are already gaining traction, proving that African-built tools tailored to the continent’s legal systems can compete with international solutions. However, scaling these innovations will require stronger institutional support, investor interest, and grassroots adoption.
The report concludes that Africa’s legaltech ecosystem is still in its early stages but carries enormous potential to reshape the way legal services are delivered. By focusing on practical, accessible, and secure solutions, the continent has an opportunity to not only transform legal practice but also improve access to justice for millions.
