Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
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| Attribute | MalawiReviewed | NigerIndexed | CameroonReviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal family | English common law with customary law | Civil law (French tradition) | Mixed (civil law and common law) |
| System of government | Presidential republic | Republic under military-led government | Unitary presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Republic of Malawi | Constitution of the Seventh Republic (suspended) | Constitution of the Republic of Cameroon |
| In force since | 1994 | 2010 | 1972 |
| Capital | Lilongwe | Niamey | Yaoundé |
| Official languages | English, Chichewa | French, Hausa, Zarma | French, English |
| Currency | Malawian kwacha (MWK) | West African CFA franc (XOF) | Central African CFA franc (XAF) |
| Population | 20,900,000 | 26,200,000 | 28,600,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary with three regions and 28 districts administered by local councils. Traditional authorities exercise recognised functions over customary land and local dispute resolution. | Under the suspended constitution, a semi-presidential system with a President, Prime Minister and National Assembly. Currently executive and legislative authority is concentrated in the CNSP and an appointed government. | A strongly presidential system with a bicameral Parliament of National Assembly and Senate, and a judiciary in which the Supreme Court sits above separate common-law and civil-law appellate structures. |
| How law is made | Bills pass three readings in the National Assembly with committee scrutiny and are presented for presidential assent, which must be given or withheld within 21 days. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority, and amendments affecting entrenched provisions additionally require a referendum. | Legislation is currently made by order of the governing authority and published in the Journal Officiel. The suspended constitution provided for ordinary parliamentary passage and presidential promulgation. | Bills pass committee and plenary in the National Assembly and are transmitted to the Senate; disagreement is resolved by a joint commission or a second Assembly vote. The President promulgates or may seek constitutional review. |
| Legal profession | A fused profession of legal practitioners admitted by the High Court after a law degree, regulated by the Malawi Law Society under the Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act. | Avocats admitted through the Barreau du Niger after a law degree and traineeship; notaires and huissiers are separate offices. | A single bar for both legal zones: advocates admitted to the Cameroon Bar Association may practise in common-law and civil-law courts alike, which makes bilingual competence a practical necessity. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.