Olamide Mojigbotoluwa Ehinfun-Adekunle has made history as Nigeria’s youngest female Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), earning the prestigious professional distinction at the age of 40 after more than a decade of legal practice spanning litigation, commercial dispute resolution, arbitration and legal advisory services.

The partner at Afe Babalola & Co., also known as Emmanuel Chambers, was among 68 legal practitioners formally admitted to the Inner Bar by Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun on 12 October 2026, during the opening of the 2026/2027 legal year.

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Her elevation marks a significant milestone in a career shaped by legal education, courtroom experience and work across several areas of Nigerian legal practice.

Here are some things to know about Olamide Ehinfun-Adekunle.

Olamide Ehinfun-Adekunle was born on 25 June 1986 in Kaduna State, although her family roots are in Ijero-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Her background connects her to northern Nigeria, where she was born, and south-western Nigeria, from where her family originates.

She studied law at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, between 2003 and 2009, earning her Bachelor of Laws degree.

She subsequently attended the Nigerian Law School from 2009 to 2010 before obtaining a Master of Laws degree in International Trade Law from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom between 2011 and 2012.

Her postgraduate training provided an additional foundation for work involving commercial transactions and cross-border legal issues.

Ehinfun-Adekunle is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in the United Kingdom.

The professional affiliation complements her work in dispute resolution, an area of practice that offers parties alternatives to conventional litigation in suitable cases.

Her professional profile also reflects an interest in international trade and the legal frameworks governing commercial activity.

Before joining Afe Babalola & Co., she worked at D. D. Dodo & Co. and the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation.

Her time with the campaign organisation brought her into contact with the political and public-service environment early in her career.

Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi later recalled meeting her around 2010 or 2011, when she was fresh out of law school and working at the organisation.

She joined Afe Babalola & Co. as a partner in September 2013, a position that placed her within one of Nigeria’s established legal practices.

Her work has covered complex litigation, commercial disputes, oil and gas matters, arbitration, election petitions, transactional law and regulatory compliance.

She has also appeared before the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Her professional practice spans both contentious and non-contentious legal work.

Litigation and election petitions involve the resolution of disputes through the courts, while arbitration provides a structured process for resolving certain disagreements outside ordinary court proceedings.

Transactional law and regulatory compliance, meanwhile, help businesses and institutions structure activities and meet applicable legal requirements.

Ehinfun-Adekunle was approved for elevation to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on 23 July 2026 by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee.

Her formal admission to the Inner Bar followed on 12 October, when the Chief Justice of Nigeria conferred the rank on the successful applicants.

The SAN designation is one of the Nigerian legal profession’s highest honours and recognises practitioners who meet demanding standards of professional distinction.

Her elevation came as four women were included among the 68 legal practitioners admitted to the rank in the 2026 cohort.

The distinction of becoming the youngest female SAN has brought additional attention to her career, particularly for younger lawyers looking towards senior positions in the profession.

Fayemi publicly congratulated Ehinfun-Adekunle on her achievement, describing her professional journey as remarkable and recalling that he had followed her progress for more than 15 years.

His tribute highlighted the importance of sustained professional development, from the early years after law school to partnership in legal practice and eventual admission to the Inner Bar.

Beyond the recognition attached to her new rank, Ehinfun-Adekunle has contributed to legal discussion through published writing.

Her professional profile includes an article examining the evolution of the legal framework for African trade, from the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group to the African Continental Free Trade Area.

She has also written about a Supreme Court decision involving the intersection of religion, law and children’s rights.

These subjects reflect interests extending beyond individual disputes to broader questions of commercial regulation and legal interpretation.

In a recent interview with ‘The Guardian’, Ehinfun-Adekunle discussed challenges confronting Nigeria’s justice system, including delays in the administration of justice, the cost of legal services and access to legal representation.

Her comments placed the demands of legal practice within the wider question of how effectively the justice system serves the public.

Her elevation to SAN therefore represents both a personal professional achievement and a new stage in a career involving litigation, commercial law and dispute resolution.

As she joins the ranks of Nigeria’s senior advocates, her experience offers a practical example of progression through formal legal training, years of practice and increasing professional responsibility.

For aspiring lawyers, especially women seeking leadership positions in the profession, Ehinfun-Adekunle’s achievement provides an encouraging example of advancement in a demanding field.

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Her next chapter will be shaped not only by the distinction of the rank but also by the work she continues to undertake in court, in commercial disputes and in advising clients on complex legal questions.