Tuggar Unveils Elias as Nigeria’s Candidate for ICJ Election

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has formally presented Dr. Taoheed Olufemi Elias as Nigeria’s candidate for election to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, ahead of the vote scheduled for November 12, 2025.

Tuggar, speaking to members of the diplomatic community, described Dr. Elias—currently serving as an ad hoc judge at the ICJ—as a renowned international legal scholar with a distinguished career and deep expertise in global jurisprudence.

According to the minister, Nigeria’s nomination marks a significant milestone, representing the country’s strongest diplomatic push in more than three decades to secure a seat on the ICJ bench.

He noted that Elias’s candidacy extends beyond Nigeria’s national interest, as it also reflects the aspirations of the entire ECOWAS sub-region, which has not had representation at the ICJ since Judge Abdul Koroma of Sierra Leone concluded his tenure in 2011.