President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Olugbemisola Odusote as the new director-general of Nigerian Law School, making her the first woman to head the institution.
Gatekeepers News reports that the appointment was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy. According to the statement, Odusote’s tenure will begin on January 10, 2026, and will run for four years.
Odusote will take over from Isa Chiroma, whose tenure as director-general ends on January 9, 2026, after eight years in office. She is currently the deputy director-general of the Nigerian Law School and also heads its Lagos campus.
The statement noted that Odusote will oversee the academic and administrative affairs of the institution nationwide. It stated, “As Director-General, Odusote will be responsible for the institution’s overall academic leadership, administrative management, and strategic direction across all campuses.”
It added that she will also serve as the primary liaison between the school, the Council of Legal Education, the Body of Benchers, and the Nigerian Bar Association.
Founded in 1962, the Nigerian Law School is responsible for the professional training of law graduates before they are called to the Nigerian Bar. Odusote’s appointment marks the first time a woman will lead the school since its establishment.
She earned her law degree from Obafemi Awolowo University and was called to the bar in 1988. She also holds a master’s degree in company and commercial law from the same institution and a doctorate in law from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, with research focus on public law and the administration of justice.
Odusote joined the Nigerian Law School in 2001 as a lecturer and has served in several leadership roles, including head of academic department, director of academics, and campus head, before her appointment as director-general.
