Nigerian-trained lawyer Dapo Akande elected judge of the ICJ
- Professor Dapo Akande, who qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria, has been elected to the International Court of Justice.
- He won majorities in the UN General Assembly and Security Council as the United Kingdom's candidate.
- He begins a nine-year term on February 6, 2027, restoring a UK judge after a nine-year gap.
A Nigerian-trained international lawyer, Professor Dapo Akande, has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations' top court that settles legal disputes between countries.
Akande was elected on Tuesday during voting by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council in New York, according to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. He contested as the United Kingdom's candidate.
The ICIR reported that he was among four candidates who won the required majorities in both UN bodies in the first round, and that he received 11 votes in the 15-member Security Council, above the eight needed.
His election brings a UK judge back to the court after nine years. The last British judge, Sir Christopher Greenwood, lost his bid for re-election in 2017.
Why it matters to Nigerians
Akande's win is being read at home as a boost for Nigeria's standing in international law. Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim, congratulated President Bola Tinubu on the outcome, describing it as another significant achievement for the country's international standing, according to the ICIR.
Akande first studied law at the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, graduating in 1992, and qualified as a Nigerian barrister and solicitor in 1993. He later studied at the London School of Economics and the University of Oxford.
He is now the Chichele Professor of Public International Law at Oxford, a Fellow of All Souls College and a member of the UN International Law Commission. He has nearly three decades of experience, advising governments and appearing before international courts and tribunals, including the ICJ itself.
ICJ judges sit independently and do not represent their governments. Akande said he would decide cases on the law alone.
I pledge to serve with independence and to deciding cases on the basis of a faithful and impartial application of the law.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the election showed Britain's commitment to international law, adding that Akande would bring "integrity, legal rigour and independent expertise" to the court. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband also congratulated him.
What happens next
Akande begins his nine-year term on February 6, 2027, joining the 15-member court based in The Hague, Netherlands. The ICIR reported that his candidacy drew 43 nominations from national groups across UN regions.
