Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya has emerged as the 33rd president of the Nigerian Bar Association with her victory at the association’s 2026 national officers’ election, which was held between July 18 and 19, 2026.
She becomes the second woman to lead the association, following the tenure of Priscilla Kuye, who served between 1991 and 1992.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, Aham Ejelam, SAN, announced the results at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja on Sunday, following the conclusion of the election, which was delayed by technical challenges and a cyberattack.
Ejelam said Badejo-Okusanya polled 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the total votes cast, to defeat her closest challenger, Lateef Akangbe, SAN, who secured 7,934 votes, representing 30.39 per cent.
The third presidential candidate, Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, polled 5,855 votes, representing 22.43 percent. According to the ECNBA chairman, a total of 26,106 votes were recorded in the election.
With her victory, Badejo-Okusanya will serve as the association’s president for a two-year tenure spanning 2026 to 2028.
She took to her X handle to express her gratitude, adding that her election marks not the end of a campaign but the beginning of a new responsibility.
A Profile of Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya
Born 59 years ago, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya is the daughter of two trailblazers: the late Professor Olufolabi Olumide, a distinguished general surgeon who was the first vice-chancellor of Lagos State University, and Clara Folasade Abiodun Olumide (née Solarin), a university administrator who rose to become the first female registrar of the University of Lagos.
A distinguished lawyer with over two decades of experience, she was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002 after obtaining her LL.B. (Hons) degree from the University of Lagos, where she had earlier earned a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in English.
She began her legal career at the prestigious commercial law firm Olaniwun Ajayi LP, where she gained experience in litigation and commercial law.
Her career took a significant turn in 2007 when she was appointed senior special assistant on justice sector reform to the then Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola. Working in the office of the then Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olasupo Shasore, she contributed to justice sector reforms in Lagos State.
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In 2017, Badejo-Okusanya became a founding partner of Africa Law Practice NG & Company (ALP NG & Co.), where she currently serves as Co-Head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice. The firm has grown into one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms with affiliations across Africa.
Her excellence in legal practice earned her the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on September 29, 2025, one of the highest honours in the Nigerian legal profession.
She is a member of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), the African Arbitration Association, ArbitralWomen, the International Bar Association (IBA), the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and a life member of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA). She also serves on the Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA).
She is happily married to Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, and they are blessed with a son.