Nigerian-trained British international lawyer, Professor Dapo Akande, has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ highest judicial body, in a major diplomatic victory for the United Kingdom.
Akande will serve a minimum nine-year term as one of the court’s 15 judges, following his election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
His election marks a significant milestone for the UK, which has been without a judge on the ICJ since 2017, when Sir Christopher Greenwood unexpectedly lost his re-election bid to an Indian candidate.
Akande originally qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria before building an international legal career in the United Kingdom. He is a professor of public international law at the University of Oxford, a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and an elected member of the UN International Law Commission.
He has also represented and advised parties in cases before international courts and tribunals, including the ICJ.
Reacting to his election, Akande said he was deeply honoured by the confidence placed in him by member states, pledging to discharge his responsibilities independently and impartially.He said he would contribute to the court’s work of resolving international disputes through peaceful means.
UK’s Role in Securing Seat
The UK government played an active role in securing his election, with Lord Chancellor Alex Norris campaigning strongly for his candidacy.
Norris described Akande as a highly qualified candidate whose independence, legal expertise and breadth of perspective would strengthen the court, particularly at a time when international law faces increasing pressure.
Akande’s election comes against the backdrop of previous tensions between the UK and the court over the Chagos Islands dispute.
In 2019, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion that the UK’s administration of the Chagos Archipelago was unlawful and that Britain should end its administration of the islands. Mauritius subsequently secured a diplomatic agreement with the UK over the territory.
