Nigerian-trained international lawyer and University of Oxford professor, Dapo Akande, has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a nine-year term, following voting by the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.

Akande, who contested under the United Kingdom’s nomination, secured the required majority in both UN bodies during elections held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

According to the UN voting results, he received 129 votes in the General Assembly, exceeding the required absolute majority of 97 votes. He also secured the necessary support in the Security Council.

His election makes him one of five judges selected to serve on the 15-member court for terms beginning on February 6, 2027, and running for nine years.

Akande is a Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of All Souls College. He is also an elected member of the United Nations International Law Commission.

Although nominated by the United Kingdom, Akande originally qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria, where he received his legal training before building an international career in legal scholarship and practice.

He has nearly three decades of experience in international law and has served as counsel, adviser and legal expert in cases before international courts and tribunals, including the ICJ.