List of presidents of Nigeria

Aso Villa, official residence of the president of Nigeria

The president of Nigeria is the head of state and head of government of Nigeria, directly elected to a four-year term via the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Under the Nigerian Constitution, the officeholder leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. From 1960 to 1963, the presidents were called head of state. After the Independence of Nigeria on 1 October 1960, the first president, Elizabeth II, called the queen of Nigeria, was the monarch of the Commonwealth realm; she was represented by a governor-general. Nigeria became a republic under the 1963 constitution and the British monarch and governor-general were replaced by the president. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the Governor General after the independence but became the first President when Nigeria became a republic. He shared power with the elected Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.^[1] Shehu Shagari was the first elected president of Nigeria.^[2] The incumbent president is Bola Tinubu, who assumed office on 29 May 2023.^[3]^[4] Since the office was established in 1963, 14 men have served in 16 presidencies; the discrepancy arises from two individuals who served two non-consecutive terms; as military head of states and as an elected President: Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari.^[5]

After independence, James Wilson Robertson served as the governor-general for 46 days. The interim government of Ernest Shonekan, who was deposed 83 days after taking office in 1993, was the shortest in Nigeria's history.^[6] Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, who served 194 days in office, was the shortest ruled military head of state. Yakubu Gowon served as the longest, for almost nine years, before being deposed in 1975 while he was away from the country.^[7] Olusegun Obasanjo served as the longest ruled President, for over eleven years, two hundred and thirty days; of his combined two terms.^[8]

Four heads of state died in office; two were assassinated during a military coup (Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi^[9] and Murtala Muhammed^[10]) and two died of natural causes (Sani Abacha and Umaru Musa Yar'Adua^[11]). Five heads of state were deposed in a military coup (Nnamdi Azikiwe, Yakubu Gowon, Shehu Shagari, Muhammadu Buhari and Ernest Shonekan). Obasanjo and Abdulsalami Abubakar resigned after Nigeria's transition to democracy in 1979 and 1999 respectively, while Ibrahim Babangida was forced to resign after he canceled the 1993 Nigerian presidential election, which SDP candidate Moshood Abiola was reportedly the winner.^[12] Obasanjo was the first Vice President (called Chief of Staff) to become the head of state during the 1976 military coup attempt,^[13] while Goodluck Jonathan was the first democratic vice president to become head of state when Yar'Adua died of Illness on 5 May 2010.^[14]

Presidents

Heads of state are indicated with a double dagger (‡).

First Republic (1963–1966)

The First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966 governed by the first republican constitution. The country's government was based on a federal form of the Westminster system. The period between 1 October 1960, when the country gained its independence and 15 January 1966, when the first military coup d’état took place, is also generally referred to as the First Republic. The first Republic of Nigeria was ruled by different leaders representing their regions as premiers in a federation during this period.

List of presidents of the Nigeria from 1999 – till date.
No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term	Party	Vice President
1		Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904–1996)	1 October 1963 – 16 January 1966	National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons	vacant^[a]

Military Government (1966–1999)

The military dictatorship in Nigeria was a period when members of the Nigerian Armed Forces held power in Nigeria from 1966 to 1999 with an interregnum from 1979 to 1983. The military was able to rise to power often with the tacit support of the elite through coup d'états. Since the country became a republic in 1963, there had been a series of military coups.

List of presidents of the Nigeria from 1999 – till date.
No.	Name (birth–death)	Term	Party	Election	Vice President
2	Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (1924–1966)	16 January 1966 – 29 July 1966			vacant
3	Yakubu Gowon (1934–)	1 August 1966 – 29 July 1975	Supreme Military Council^[15]		vacant
4	Murtala Mohammed (1938–1976)	29 July 1975 – 13 February 1976			vacant
5	Olusegun Obasanjo (1937–)	13 February 1976 – 1 October 1979			vacant
6	Shehu Shagari^[b] (1925–2018)	1 October 1979 – 31 December 1983	National Party of Nigeria	1979 1983	Alex Ekwueme
7	Muhammadu Buhari^[c] (1942–)	31 December 1983 – 27 August 1985	Supreme Military Council
8	Ibrahim Babangida (1941–)	27 August 1985 – 26 August 1993	Armed Forces Ruling Council
9	Ernest Shonekan^[d] (1936–2022)	26 August 1993 – 17 November 1993	Independent
10	Sani Abacha (1943–1998)	17 November 1993 – 8 June 1998	Provisional Ruling Council
11	Abdulsalami Abubakar (1942–)	9 June 1998 – 29 May 1999	Provisional Ruling Council

Fourth Republic (1999–present)

The Fourth Republic is the current republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999, it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. Nigeria adopted the constitution of the Fourth Republic on 29 May 1999.^[16]

List of presidents of the Nigeria from 1999 – till date.
No.	Name (birth–death)	Term	Party	Election	Vice President
12	Olusegun Obasanjo (1937–)	29 May 1999 – 29 May 2007	People's Democratic Party	1999 2003	Atiku Abubakar
13	Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (1951–2010)	29 May 2007 – 5 May 2010	People's Democratic Party	2007	Goodluck Jonathan
14	Goodluck Jonathan (1957–)	6 May 2010 – 29 May 2015	People's Democratic Party	2011^[17]	Namadi Sambo
15	Muhammadu Buhari (1942–)	29 May 2015 – 29 May 2023	All Progressives Congress	2015 2019^[18]	Yemi Osinbajo
16	Bola Tinubu (1952–)	29 May 2023 – present	All Progressives Congress	2023	Kashim Shettima

References

Notes

^ The prime minister was Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
^ Under the 1979 Constitution of the Second Nigerian Republic (1979–1983), the President was both head of state and government. In the event of a vacancy the vice president would have served as acting president.
^ Muhammadu Buhari was made military head of state following the coup d'ètat of 1983, which overthrew the Second Republic and gave rise to Military dictatorship in Nigeria from 1983 to 1993.
^ Chief Ernest Shonekan became the interim head of state following the crisis of the Third Republic.

Citations

^ Faal, Courtney (9 May 2009). "Benjamin Nnamdi "Zik" Azikiwe (1904–1996)". BlackPast.org. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
^ "Nigeria's first executive president, Shehu Shagari, dies aged 93". Africanews. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
^ "Bola Tinubu sworn in as Nigeria's president, succeeds Buhari". Al Jazeera. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
^ Odeniyi, Solomon; Sanusi, Abiodun; Blankson, Esther (18 May 2023). "Tinubu's inauguration: Programmes begin Thursday, FG invites over 65 world leaders". The Punch. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
^ Akinpelu, Yusuf. "ANALYSIS: From bullet to ballot: 14 men who have led Nigeria since independence". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
^ "Nigerian Military Leader Ousts Interim President". The New York Times. 18 November 1993.
^ "Gowon Ousted in Nigeria; Coup ends Nine-Year Rule". The New York Times. 30 July 1975.
^ "Olusegun Obasanjo: Nigeria's Three-Time President". 5 March 2019.
^ "Nigerians Confirm Slaying of Ironsi". The New York Times. 15 January 1967.
^ "Nigeria Confirms Killing of Leader". The New York Times. 15 February 1976.
^ "Nigeria's president Yar'Adua dies".
^ "June 12 presidential election was annulled to prevent coup - Babangida". 6 August 2021.
^ "Nigeria Confirms Killing of Leader". The New York Times. 15 February 1976.
^ "Nigeria's president Yar'Adua dies".
^ Kasuka, Bridgette (April 2013). Prominent African Leaders Since Independence. New Africa Press. ISBN 978-9987-16-026-6.
^ "June 12, NASS and Nigeria's Fourth Republic". Punch Newspapers. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
^ Purefoy, Christian (19 April 2011). "Widespread election violence erupts in Nigeria". CNN. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
^ "BREAKING: Buhari declares June 12 Democracy Day to honour Abiola". Premium Times Nigeria. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2019.

External links

State House of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

[15] The prime minister was Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

[17] Under the 1979 Constitution of the Second Nigerian Republic (1979–1983), the President was both head of state and government. In the event of a vacancy the vice president would have served as acting president.

[18] Muhammadu Buhari was made military head of state following the coup d'ètat of 1983, which overthrew the Second Republic and gave rise to Military dictatorship in Nigeria from 1983 to 1993.

[19] Chief Ernest Shonekan became the interim head of state following the crisis of the Third Republic.

[1] Faal, Courtney (9 May 2009). "Benjamin Nnamdi "Zik" Azikiwe (1904–1996)". BlackPast.org. Retrieved 27 March 2025.

[2] "Nigeria's first executive president, Shehu Shagari, dies aged 93". Africanews. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2025.

[3] "Bola Tinubu sworn in as Nigeria's president, succeeds Buhari". Al Jazeera. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2025.

[4] Odeniyi, Solomon; Sanusi, Abiodun; Blankson, Esther (18 May 2023). "Tinubu's inauguration: Programmes begin Thursday, FG invites over 65 world leaders". The Punch. Retrieved 27 March 2025.

[5] Akinpelu, Yusuf. "ANALYSIS: From bullet to ballot: 14 men who have led Nigeria since independence". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 27 March 2025.

[6] "Nigerian Military Leader Ousts Interim President". The New York Times. 18 November 1993.

[7] "Gowon Ousted in Nigeria; Coup ends Nine-Year Rule". The New York Times. 30 July 1975.

[8] "Olusegun Obasanjo: Nigeria's Three-Time President". 5 March 2019.

[9] "Nigerians Confirm Slaying of Ironsi". The New York Times. 15 January 1967.

[10] "Nigeria Confirms Killing of Leader". The New York Times. 15 February 1976.

[11] "Nigeria's president Yar'Adua dies".

[12] "June 12 presidential election was annulled to prevent coup - Babangida". 6 August 2021.

[13] "Nigeria Confirms Killing of Leader". The New York Times. 15 February 1976.

[14] "Nigeria's president Yar'Adua dies".

[Kasuka-16] Kasuka, Bridgette (April 2013). Prominent African Leaders Since Independence. New Africa Press. ISBN 978-9987-16-026-6.

[20] "June 12, NASS and Nigeria's Fourth Republic". Punch Newspapers. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2022.

[cnn-21] Purefoy, Christian (19 April 2011). "Widespread election violence erupts in Nigeria". CNN. Retrieved 20 April 2011.

[22] "BREAKING: Buhari declares June 12 Democracy Day to honour Abiola". Premium Times Nigeria. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2019.

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v t e Heads of state of Nigeria
Queen (1960–1963)	Elizabeth II
President of the First Republic (1963–1966)	Azikiwe
Military regime (1966–1979)	Aguiyi-Ironsi Gowon Mohammed Obasanjo
President of the Second Republic (1979–1983)	Shagari
Military regime (1983–1999)	Buhari Babangida Shonekan (interim)* Abacha Abubakar
President of the Fourth Republic (from 1999)	Obasanjo Yar'Adua Jonathan Buhari Tinubu
*Civilian; headed transition to abortive Third Republic