President of Senegal and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has sworn in five newly appointed judges of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, urging them to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of citizens.
The ceremony took place at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters in Abuja.
The new judges are Désiré Henri Aihou of Benin, Justice Awa Bah of The Gambia, Charlyne M. Brumskine of Liberia, Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu of Nigeria and Yaouza Ouro-Sama of Togo.
Faye charged the judges to demonstrate impartiality and integrity throughout their four-year tenure, while ensuring that justice was administered fairly and without external interference.
He said their conduct would be critical to strengthening public confidence in the ECOWAS Court and regional institutions generally.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Gen. Birame Diop, described the swearing-in as a commitment by the judges to uphold the ECOWAS legal order and serve the people of the region.
Diop urged them to put aside personal interests and external pressures and discharge their responsibilities with “honour, loyalty, impartiality and conscience”.
He also highlighted the importance of the Community Court in providing individuals with access to justice and opportunities to seek redress for violations of their rights.
The five judges were appointed by the ECOWAS Authority at its 69th Ordinary Session in Lungi, Sierra Leone, on July 19, 2026, for four-year, non-renewable terms.
Their appointments followed the provisions of the December 2025 Supplementary Act on the Community Court of Justice.
The Act provides that the Court shall comprise five independent judges selected from nationals of ECOWAS member states who meet the qualifications for appointment to a Supreme Court or an equivalent judicial institution.
Candidates are also required to be legal practitioners of recognised competence in international law, particularly community or regional integration law, with at least 20 years of professional experience.
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The new judges replace Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves of Cape Verde, Sengu Mohamed Koroma of Sierra Leone, Dupe Atoki of Nigeria, Gberi-Bè Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire and Edward Amoako Asante of Ghana, whose four-year terms have expired.
Under the Supplementary Act, newly appointed judges must take an oath of office or make a solemn declaration before the ECOWAS Authority’s Chairman before assuming their duties.
The judges are also expected to elect a President and Vice-President from among themselves for two-year terms.
Their appointment is expected to reinforce the Court’s role in promoting access to justice, protecting citizens’ rights and upholding the rule of law across West Africa.
