Four Powerful Women in Nigeria’s Legal Profession
Women are making significant strides in Nigeria’s legal profession, increasingly taking up influential leadership positions at both the bar and the bench.
Over the years, several women have broken historic barriers, including Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, Nigeria’s first female Chief Justice, and Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, the first woman to serve as President of the Court of Appeal.
Research by Dataphyte noted that women in the justice system can serve as agents of change, while greater diversity and inclusion can strengthen institutions and promote accountability. Female judges also bring different experiences and perspectives that can contribute to stronger judicial systems.
In March 2026, Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson said increasing women’s representation in the judiciary was not simply about achieving numerical balance but was essential to the legitimacy of the justice system.
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, led by Country Vice President and National President Eliana Martins, has also raised concerns about the continued under-representation of women in senior leadership positions within Nigeria’s judiciary, despite growing female participation in the legal profession.
Some of the prominent women currently holding or set to occupy key positions in Nigeria’s legal sector include:
Born on May 7, 1958, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has served as Chief Justice of Nigeria since August 2024, following the retirement of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
She earned her law degree from the University of Lagos in 1980 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1981. She later obtained a master’s degree in law from the London School of Economics in 1983.
Kekere-Ekun was sworn in by President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja. She became the second woman to serve as Nigeria’s Chief Justice, after Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, and the first woman from the Southwest geopolitical zone to hold the position.
Born on June 13, 1957, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem is the President of the Court of Appeal. Her appointment was confirmed in June 2020.
She studied at Ahmadu Bello University, earning LL.B and LL.M degrees, before completing postgraduate studies at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London.
Dr. Olugbemisola Odusote became Director-General of the Nigerian Law School in January 2026 for a four-year term, becoming the first woman to lead the institution since its establishment in 1962.
She obtained her LL.B from Obafemi Awolowo University and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. She also holds an LL.M from the same university and a PhD in Law from the University of Surrey, UK, with research interests in public law and the administration of justice.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya is the President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
She is expected to become only the second woman to lead the association, following Priscilla Kuye, who became the first female NBA President in 1991.
Badejo-Okusanya was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002 after studying law at the University of Lagos, where she also earned a degree in English. She began her legal career at Olaniwun Ajayi LP and was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2025.
The growing presence of women in top legal positions represents a significant shift in Nigeria’s legal profession. However, the continued gender gap in leadership shows that more work remains to achieve broader representation and inclusion across the country’s justice system.