Nigerian Government Presents Justice Taoheed Elias For ICJ Seat

The Federal Government, on Thursday, formally presented Justice Dr. Taoheed Elias as Nigeria’s candidate for election to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), urging the international community to back his bid to restore West Africa’s representation on the world’s top judicial bench.

The presentation ceremony, held in Abuja, drew members of the diplomatic corps and senior government officials. Leading the endorsement, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, described Elias as a jurist of exceptional calibre whose experience and integrity embody the ideals of the ICJ.

Tuggar lamented the region’s absence from the court, noting that West Africa has not had a representative on the ICJ since 2011, while Nigeria last occupied a seat over three decades ago.

“This long absence is not a matter of pride but of perspective. It underscores the importance of equitable geographical representation and the need for voices from West Africa to again be heard within the world’s highest judicial body,” Tuggar said.

Introducing the nominee, the minister hailed Elias as “a candidate for the international community,” saying his credentials reflect the standards outlined in Article 2 of the ICJ Statute.

“Elias embodies the envisaged qualities, a person of high moral character possessing the qualifications for the highest judicial office and recognised competence in international law.

“He is a Nigerian national, a distinguished scholar, a seasoned international civil servant, and a respected judge,” Tuggar stated.

He added that Nigeria’s nomination of Elias “reflects the very ideals that unite us as members of the diplomatic community — integrity, competence, and commitment to justice.”

Addressing the gathering, the minister emphasised that the nomination transcends national interest.

“This candidacy is not about Nigeria alone. It is about ensuring that Africa, and West Africa in particular, retains its rightful presence in shaping the global rule of law,” he added.

In his remarks, Justice Elias expressed pride in his nomination and reaffirmed his lifelong commitment to advancing international law and justice.

“The ICJ is at the cornerstone of the entire architecture of the United Nations, being responsible for the peaceful resolution of disputes,” he said.

Elias outlined three pillars of his candidacy—academic expertise in international law, institutional knowledge of the United Nations, and extensive judicial experience.

“The first element of my candidacy is my academic background and intellectual expertise in international law. The second is my knowledge of the principal constituencies of the ICJ, the UN itself. The third element I want to highlight is my judicial experience,” he explained.

He noted that his two decades of service within the UN system have equipped him with a unique blend of scholarship and practice.

Currently serving as a Judge ad hoc on the ICJ, Elias recounted how Equatorial Guinea selected him, a non-national, to serve in one of its cases before the court.

“In the International Court of Justice, when you have a case, one party has a judge of their country on the court. The other country, which does not, can appoint anyone. Equatorial Guinea didn’t pick somebody from their own country; they picked me,” he said.

Elias also paid tribute to Judge Abdulqawi Yusuf of Somalia, a former ICJ president whose seat he seeks to fill, pledging to uphold the principles of fairness and legal excellence.

“Given the nature of the challenges that I described, I think that a wider profile, perspective, and deeper appreciation in practice are things that I hope you believe will be of value to the court,” he added.

The election for the ICJ is slated for November 12, 2025, to fill the vacancy left by Judge Yusuf.

If successful, Elias will become the fourth Nigerian to serve on the ICJ, following Charles Onyeama, Bola Ajibola,and his father, Teslim Elias, who was also a former President of the Court.

A distinguished international jurist, Dr. Elias is a member of the Institut de Droit International and has served as Legal Adviser and Director at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague. He currently presides over the Administrative Tribunal of the OPEC Fund for International Development, chairs the Islamic Development Bank Administrative Tribunal, and previously led the OPEC Appeals Committee.

Established in 1945, the International Court of Justice remains the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, charged with adjudicating disputes between sovereign states and offering advisory opinions on legal questions. It is based in The Hague, Netherlands.