Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has made history as the first woman to be elected President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), emerging victorious in the association’s 2026 presidential election held on Saturday and becoming the first female lawyer to win the office through a competitive ballot.
Her election marks a significant milestone in the NBA’s 91-year history. While Mrs. Priscilla Kuye (SAN) was the first woman to serve as President of the Nigerian Bar Association, she was not elected to the office.
Kuye assumed the presidency after the then NBA President, Chief Clement Akpamgbo (SAN), was appointed Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, making Badejo-Okusanya the first woman to secure the position through an election. 
Badejo-Okusanya succeeds Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN).
She studied English before obtaining a law degree from the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002. In 2025, she was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, cementing her reputation as one of the country’s leading commercial litigation and dispute resolution practitioners.
A Partner and Co-Head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice at ALP NG & Co., Badejo-Okusanya has extensive experience in commercial litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. She also serves on the Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration.
Within the NBA, she has built an impressive record of service. She has served as Assistant Secretary of the NBA Lagos Branch, a Co-opted Member of the National Executive Council and Chair of the Planning Committee for the NBA’s 2024 Annual General Conference, among other responsibilities.
Her campaign was anchored on the slogan, “Members First. Always.” She pledged to prioritise lawyers’ welfare, create greater professional opportunities for members across different areas of legal practice and strengthen the independence of the Bar.
Badejo-Okusanya’s victory is being widely celebrated, especially by women, with many describing it as a defining moment for gender inclusion and leadership within the NBA.
Her election is expected to inspire more women to seek leadership positions in the legal profession and other professional bodies while reinforcing the principle that the highest offices in the Bar are open to all based on merit and the confidence of members.
Badejo-Okusanya, is married to Yomi, a prominent Public Relations professional, who is the immediate past President of the African Public Relations Association (APRA) and the Lead Partner of CMC Connect LLP, a leading Public Relations and Strategic Communications firm.
The couple have been married for about three decades and have a son.
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