Bassirou Diomaye Faye Swears In Five ECOWAS Court Judges

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, serving as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, swore in five new judges to the Community Court of Justice on October 6, 2026. The ceremony took place at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.

The new judges—Désiré Henri Aihou of Benin, Awa Bah of The Gambia, Charlyne M. Brumskine of Liberia, Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu of Nigeria, and Yaouza Ouro-Sama of Togo—will serve non-renewable four-year terms ending in 2030. They replace five outgoing judges whose mandates expired. The appointments follow a decision made during the 69th Ordinary Session in Lungi, Sierra Leone, and the December 2025 Supplementary Act.

During the ceremony, President Faye urged the jurists to maintain impartiality and integrity to strengthen public trust in regional institutions, noting that West Africa faces unprecedented political, economic, security, and environmental challenges. ECOWAS Commission President General Birame Diop emphasized that the oath of office requires judges to prioritize community law over personal interests and mentioned ongoing efforts to potentially create an Appellate Chamber for the court. Mouhamadou Mansour Mbaye, Chairman of the ECOWAS Judicial Council, further urged the new judges to uphold strict independence.