Nigerian-British Law Scholar Dapo Akande Elected as Judge of the International Court of Justice

Renowned Nigerian-born legal scholar and Oxford professor Dapo Akande has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), marking a diplomatic achievement and securing a nine-year term at the United Nations’ principal judicial organ.
Akande was elected on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, following concurrent voting by the UN General Assembly and Security Council at the UN Headquarters in New York. Nominated as the United Kingdom’s candidate and backed by extensive global diplomatic efforts, Akande secured 11 votes out of 15 in the Security Council alongside a decisive majority in the General Assembly to achieve election in the first round.

Akande will serve a minimum nine-year tenure on the 15-member ICJ bench starting February 6, 2027, marking the UK's return to the court after a nearly decade-long absence.
An alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, where he received his initial legal training, Akande went on to become a Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of All Souls College.

“I am deeply honoured to be elected to the International Court of Justice. I am incredibly grateful to all the states that have put their faith in me. I pledge to serve with independence and to deciding cases on the basis of a faithful and impartial application of the law.”
— Prof. Dapo Akande

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