Nigerian trained lawyer Dapo Akande elected ICJ judge

Dapo Akande, a lawyer trained in Nigeria, was elected on Tuesday as a judge of the International Court of Justice. He will serve a nine‑year term as one of the fifteen judges of the United Nations' principal judicial organ, becoming the first UK judge on the court in nine years. Akande thanked the states that supported his candidacy and pledged to decide cases with independence and impartial application of the law.

Akande has built an international career spanning nearly three decades in public international law, legal scholarship and international dispute settlement. He began his legal career in Nigeria, obtaining his initial professional qualification there before moving into academia. He is now a professor of public international law at the University of Oxford and a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford. His academic work has contributed to the study and development of international law, especially the principles governing relations between countries.

Beyond academia, Akande is an elected member of the United Nations International Law Commission, the body that promotes the progressive development and codification of international law. He has advised and represented parties in disputes before international courts and tribunals, including serving as counsel and expert in cases before the ICJ itself. His election is also significant for the United Kingdom, which has been without a judge on the ICJ since 2017 when Christopher Greenwood lost his re‑election bid. UK Lord Chancellor Alex Norris campaigned for Akande, describing him as possessing the independence, legal rigour, judgment and breadth of perspective required by the court.

Akande’s appointment restores British representation on the fifteen‑member court and is seen as an important diplomatic achievement for the United Kingdom.