Who is Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya? Nigeria’s new NBA president-elect

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya has etched her name into Nigeria’s legal history after emerging as the 33rd President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Her victory also makes her only the second woman to lead the association since its establishment 66 years ago, following the tenure of Priscilla Kuye, who served between 1991 and 1992.

Badejo-Okusanya secured 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the 26,106 ballots cast in the NBA’s electronic election, defeating fellow Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe and Olumuyiwa Akinboro.

Born with a passion for academics and advocacy, Badejo-Okusanya first earned a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English from the University of Lagos before pursuing a degree in Law at the same institution. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002, marking the beginning of what has become a distinguished legal career spanning over two decades.

She began legal practice at the prestigious commercial law firm Olaniwun Ajayi LP, where she built experience in litigation and commercial legal practice. 

Her career took a significant turn in 2007 when she was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Justice Sector Reform to 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.

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.

Beyond courtroom practice, Badejo-Okusanya has built an impressive record within the NBA. She has served as Assistant Secretary of the NBA Lagos Branch, Delegate to the 2006 NBA elections, member of several national committees, including the Future of the Legal Profession Committee and the Conference Investigation Committee, and was Alternate Chair of the 2023 NBA Annual General Conference Planning Committee before chairing the committee for the 2024 conference.

Her contributions to the association also earned her co-option into the NBA National Executive Council in 2022, while she received the NBA Presidential Medal of Service in August 2024 in recognition of her outstanding service.

Badejo-Okusanya is also an accomplished arbitration practitioner with memberships in several respected international organisations, including the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), the International Bar Association (IBA), the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), the African Arbitration Association, ArbitralWomen, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), where she is a life member. She also serves on the Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA).

With her election, Badejo-Okusanya now prepares to succeed Afam Osigwe (SAN) as NBA president. She is expected to be inaugurated alongside other newly elected national officers during the association’s Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt later this month.

Her emergence is widely seen as a significant milestone for gender representation within the legal profession and places her at the forefront of shaping the future direction of Nigeria’s largest professional association.

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