​Nigerian-born scholar Professor Dapo Akande has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a nine-year term following a decisive vote at the United Nations in New York.
​On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, members of the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council convened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City to cast their ballots for the world’s principal judicial organ.
Professor Dapo Akande secured a sweeping majority across both bodies, including 11 votes in the UN Security Council, to win a seat on the 15-member bench at The Hague.
​His election marks a historic moment: it returns a British judge to the ICJ after nearly a decade-long absence and highlights the world stage prominence of Nigerian-trained legal practitioners. Akande will officially assume office for a nine-year term beginning on February 6, 2027.
​Following the announcement in New York, leaders and key spokespersons from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and international legal bodies issued statements:
​”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. I look forward to contributing to the ICJ’s vital work in helping to resolve disputes by peaceful means, alongside the other colleagues elected today.” Professor Dapo Akande stated.
​”This election is a clear signal to our partners that the UK is back on the world stage and ready to play our part in ensuring global stability and upholding the rule of law. Professor Akande will bring integrity, legal rigour and independent expertise to the International Court of Justice and I am incredibly proud that he is representing the UK.” said Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
​”Everywhere I go around the world, people tell me how impressive Professor Akande is and we have been proud to support his campaign. I am confident that his legal expertise, independence and commitment to international law will make him an asset to the Court and the international community.” Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband expressed confidently.
​Professor Akande’s path to the world court is rooted in a distinguished international legal career that began in Nigeria, where he qualified as a barrister and solicitor after obtaining his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), before going on to earn his Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the London School of Economics.
​He currently serves as Professor of Public International Law and Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, bringing nearly three decades of high-level expertise to the bench.
Having served as a member of the UN International Law Commission from 2023 to 2027 and as a practitioner at Essex Court Chambers in London, Akande has frequently advised and represented governments before international tribunals, the African Union, and the UN.
