Nigerian-Trained Lawyer Dapo Akande Elected Judge of International Court of Justice

Nigerian-trained international lawyer and University of Oxford professor, Dapo Akande, has been elected a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.

Akande emerged successful following voting by the UN General Assembly and Security Council on Tuesday, November 3, and will serve a nine-year term beginning on February 6, 2027.

His election restores the United Kingdom’s representation on the 15-member court after a nine-year absence. The UK government had supported his candidacy through a diplomatic campaign involving the Prime Minister, ministers and British representatives across several countries.

Akande is a Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford, a Fellow of All Souls College and an elected member of the UN International Law Commission. He originally qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria and has nearly three decades of experience in international legal scholarship and practice.

He has served as counsel, adviser and expert in cases before international courts and tribunals, including the ICJ, and has advised governments across the five UN regional groups, as well as international organisations such as the United Nations and African Union.

Akande studied at Obafemi Awolowo University, the London School of Economics and the University of Oxford. His academic and professional career has established him as a prominent figure in public international law.

Reacting to his election, Akande expressed gratitude to the countries that supported his candidacy and pledged to discharge his judicial responsibilities independently and impartially, applying international law faithfully.

The International Court of Justice, based in The Hague, Netherlands, settles legal disputes submitted by states and issues advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised UN bodies.