Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), made history in July 2026 by becoming the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the first woman ever directly elected to the role by NBA members.
A commercial litigator and arbitration specialist with more than two decades of legal experience spanning private practice, public service and international arbitration, she is only the second woman to lead the association since its founding, following Dame Priscilla Kuye in 1991.
Profile
| Full Name | Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya |
| Age | 59 |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Occupation | Barrister, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN); President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); Partner, ALP NG & Co. |
| Religion | Christian (Methodist) |
| Parents | Father: Professor Olufolabi Olumide (surgeon, first Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, deceased); Mother: Clara Folasade Abiodun Olumide, née Solarin (first female Registrar, University of Lagos) |
Early Life
Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya was born into a family noted for academic and public-service achievement.
She is the first child of the late Professor Olufolabi Olumide, a renowned surgeon who served as the first Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), and Clara Folasade Abiodun Olumide (née Solarin), who made history as the first female Registrar of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Her upbringing in a household of accomplished professionals is widely credited with shaping her later commitment to leadership and public service.
Education
Badejo-Okusanya began her academic journey at the University of Lagos, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in English between 1983 and 1987.
She later returned to the same institution to study Law, earning her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree in 2000. She went on to complete further legal studies in the United Kingdom. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002.
Career
Badejo-Okusanya began her legal career at Olaniwun Ajayi LP, one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms.
In 2007, she was appointed by then-Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Justice Sector Reform and Policy, a role she held until 2011.
She subsequently served as General Counsel to the Lagos State Governor from 2011 to 2015, advising on government policy, governance matters, public-private partnership initiatives, consumer protection policy and arbitration legislation.
Since May 2017, she has been a founding partner of Africa Law Practice NG & Company (ALP NG & Co.), where she serves as Co-Head of the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice, handling complex commercial disputes, arbitration and strategic legal advisory work, including arbitration matters in the utilities sector and international investment disputes.
She was conferred the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on September 29, 2025. Within professional bodies, she has served on the Executive Committee of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Nigeria Branch, and currently sits on the Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration.
She is a member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration, ArbitralWomen, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, the London Court of International Arbitration, the Nigerian Bar Association and the International Bar Association.
Within the NBA, she previously served as Assistant Secretary of the NBA Lagos Branch and was a delegate to the 2006 NBA elections.
In July 2026, she was elected the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association, polling 12,317 votes (47.18 percent of the 26,106 ballots cast) to defeat fellow SANs Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe and Olumuyiwa Akinboro in the association’s electronic election.
She was the only woman among the three presidential candidates, and her election makes her the first NBA president to be directly elected by the membership rather than assuming office through constitutional succession.
Awards & Nominations
- 2025 — Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) — Conferred September 29, 2025
- 2026 — Nigerian Bar Association Presidential Election — Elected 33rd President (July 2026)
Personal Life
Badejo-Okusanya is an active member of the Methodist Church Nigeria’s Emmanuel Chapel in Ikoyi, Lagos, where she serves as a Church Steward and sings in the church choir.
She has balanced her demanding legal and public service career with active participation in church and community life.
Net Worth
No verified net worth figure is currently available.
Political/Administrative Achievements
- Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Justice Sector Reform and Policy (2007–2011)
- General Counsel to the Lagos State Governor (2011–2015)
- Founding Partner, Africa Law Practice NG & Company (since 2017)
- Conferred Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), September 2025
- Elected 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association (2026) — first NBA president directly elected by members; second woman to lead the association
Conclusion
Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya’s election as the first directly-elected female President of the Nigerian Bar Association represents a landmark moment for Nigeria’s legal profession, capping a career built across commercial litigation, arbitration and public sector legal reform.
As she takes on the NBA presidency for the next two years, her leadership is expected to draw continued attention to gender representation and institutional reform within Nigeria’s legal community.
