KEY POINTS
- Nigerian Law School Director-General appointment begins January 10, 2026.
- Odusote becomes the institution’s first female leader.
- She succeeds Isa Hayatu Chiroma after eight years.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote as Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, marking a historic leadership change at the country’s premier legal training institution.
The appointment takes effect from January 10, 2026, and runs for a four-year term, according to a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga. Odusote will succeed Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, whose second and final term expires a day earlier, ending eight years at the helm.
At 54, Odusote breaks new ground as the first woman to lead the Nigerian Law School since its 1962 founding, marking a milestone for an institution central to shaping Nigeria’s legal profession.
She currently serves as Deputy Director-General and Head of the Lagos Campus, one of the school’s busiest centres.
Nigerian Law School Director-General appointment details
Odusote joined the Nigerian Law School in 2001 as a lecturer and has risen through the ranks over more than two decades. Her previous roles include head of the academic department, director of academics and campus head, positions that placed her at the core of curriculum delivery and institutional management.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Obafemi Awolowo University and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. She later earned a Master of Laws degree from the same institution, specialising in company and commercial law, before completing a doctorate in law at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom.
Her academic interests span public law and the administration of justice. She was also a visiting scholar at Nottingham Trent University in the UK and has published widely in local and international law journals.
Nigerian Law School Director-General responsibilities outlined
As Nigerian Law School Director-General, Odusote will oversee academic leadership, administrative coordination and strategic planning across the institution’s campuses nationwide. The role also places her as the primary liaison between the school and key legal bodies, including the Council of Legal Education, the Body of Benchers and the Nigerian Bar Association.
She has previously served on committees of both the Council of Legal Education and the NBA, experience that is expected to shape her engagement with regulators and professional stakeholders.
The appointment comes as Nigeria’s legal education system faces growing pressure to expand capacity, modernise training and align professional standards with global practice.
