Since Nigeria gained independence in 1960, 16 individuals have served as heads of state, including elected presidents and military leaders.
The first head of state was Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, who served from 1960 until he was overthrown in a coup in 1966. After him, Nnamdi Azikiwe became the first ceremonial president in 1963.
The military took control several times, with leaders like Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Mohammed, and Sani Abacha serving during periods of military rule.
Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999 with Olusegun Obasanjo in to begin the Fourth Republic. He served two terms until 2007, followed by Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who died in office in 2010.
His vice president, Goodluck Jonathan, then took over and served until 2015. Muhammadu Buhari was elected next and served two non-consecutive terms from 2015 to 2023.
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The current president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, took office on May 29, 2023. With that said, here’s the list of Nigerian presidents since independence:
Name | State | Tenure | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
Nnamdi Azikiwe | Anambra | October 1963 - January 1966 | NCNC |
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi | Abia | January 1966 - July 1966 | Military |
Yakubu Gowon | Plateau | August 1966 - July 1975 | Military |
Murtala Mohammed | Kano | July 1975 - February 1976 | Military |
Olusegun Obasanjo | Ogun | February 1976 - October 1979 | Military |
Shehu Shagari | Sokoto | October 1979 - December 1983 | NPN |
Muhammadu Buhari | Katsina | December 1983 - August 1985 | Military |
Ibrahim Babangida | Niger | August 1985 - August 1993 | Military |
Ernest Shonekan | Lagos | August 1993 - November 1993 | Interim Government |
Sani Abacha | Kano | November 1993 - June 1998 | Military |
Abdulsalami Abubakar | Niger | June 1998 - May 1999 | Military |
Olusegun Obasanjo | Ogun | May 1999 - May 2007 | PDP |
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua | Katsina | May 2007 - May 2010 | PDP |
Goodluck Jonathan | Bayelsa | May 2010 - May 2015 | PDP |
Muhammadu Buhari | Katsina | May 2015 - May 2023 | APC |
Bola Ahmed Tinubu | Lagos | May 2023 - Present | APC |
Who Is The First President Of Nigeria After Independence?
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, known as “Zik of Africa,” was Nigeria’s first president after the country gained independence. He held this position from 1963 to 1966, during the First Nigerian Republic.
Born on November 16, 1904, in Zungeru (present-day Niger State), Azikiwe was of Igbo heritage, with his family roots tracing back to Onitsha in Anambra State. He was a key figure in the struggle for Nigeria’s independence and is regarded as the father of Nigerian nationalism.
Azikiwe was Nigeria’s first Indigenous Governor-General from 1960 to 1963, a ceremonial role under the British monarch before becoming president.
His political career began long before independence, as he worked as a journalist and activist advocating for self-rule in Nigeria and across West Africa.
He spent many years in the United States, where he received education from institutions like Columbia University, Howard University, and the University of Pennsylvania.
His exposure to different cultures and languages, including Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo, helped him connect with Nigerians from different regions.
Under the 1960 Independence Constitution, Nigeria adopted a federal system of government, with Sir Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister and Azikiwe as Governor-General.
However, when Nigeria became a republic in 1963, Azikiwe moved to the presidency, serving as the ceremonial head of state.
His leadership and vision for a united and independent Nigeria were instrumental in helping the nation’s early political landscape.
Who Was The First Elected President In Nigeria?
Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari was the first democratically elected president of Nigeria, serving office from October 1, 1979, to December 31, 1983, after the military handed over power to civilians.
Shagari’s presidency was the beginning of Nigeria’s Second Republic. His vice president was Alex Ekwueme, and they both belonged to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
Shagari succeeded General Olusegun Obasanjo, who was the military head of state at the time. Born on February 25, 1925, in Shagari, a town in northern Nigeria, Shagari started his career as a teacher before joining politics in the early 1950s.
He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1954. Then he served in different governmental roles, including as a federal minister and commissioner under different administrations.
During his tenure as Minister of Finance from 1971 to 1975, Shagari introduced the Nigerian naira and was active in international organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Shagari’s presidency focused on infrastructure development, education, and agriculture. However, his administration faced challenges, including economic difficulties and political unrest.
One of the major events during his presidency was the mass deportation of West African migrants, particularly Ghanaians, in 1983.
Despite his efforts to stabilize Nigeria’s economy and strengthen its democracy, Shagari’s government was overthrown by a military coup led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari on December 31, 1983.
Shagari retired from politics and remained respected as a statesman until his death on December 28, 2018, at the age of 93.
Who Is The Youngest President In Nigeria?
The youngest president in Nigeria’s history is General Yakubu Gowon. He became the Head of State at the age of 31 in 1966 following a military coup.
At the time, Nigeria was going through a turbulent period seen by ethnic tensions, political instability, and the aftermath of a coup that overthrew the civilian government.
Gowon was chosen as a compromise candidate because of his background as a Northerner who was neither of Hausa nor Fulani descent nor a Muslim, which made him a neutral figure during a time of deep division.
Before becoming Head of State, Gowon was a career military officer who had little involvement in politics. His rise to power was unexpected, as he had returned to Nigeria shortly before the first coup in January 1966.
This timing likely saved him from being targeted by the coup plotters. The coup led to the assassination of key political leaders and increased ethnic and regional mistrust, especially between the North and South.
In July 1966, a counter-coup by Northern officers resulted in the assassination of Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, Nigeria’s first military Head of State.
Gowon was then appointed as the Head of State to stabilize the nation. During his leadership, Gowon faced one of the most challenging periods in Nigerian history, the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafran War, which lasted from 1967 to 1970.
His administration focused on keeping Nigeria united despite the secessionist efforts of the Eastern Region, which declared itself the Republic of Biafra.
The war resulted in massive loss of life and destruction, but Gowon is remembered for his “no victor, no vanquished” policy at the war’s end.
After the war, Gowon introduced programs for rehabilitation, reconstruction, and reconciliation to repair the damage caused by the conflict.
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What Is The Full Name Of Nigeria’s Current President?
The full name of Nigeria’s current president is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu. He became the 16th president of Nigeria on May 29, 2023, following his election earlier that year.
Tinubu was the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and a senator for Lagos West during Nigeria’s Third Republic.
His political career began after studying accounting at Chicago State University in the United States and working as an accountant for Mobil Nigeria.
Tinubu became politically active in the early 1990s, contesting as a Lagos West senatorial candidate under the Social Democratic Party.
After the military ruler Sani Abacha dissolved the Senate in 1993, Tinubu went into exile, joining the National Democratic Coalition to campaign for democracy in Nigeria.
His efforts contributed to his political prominence, and he was elected as the governor of Lagos State in 1999, winning re-election for a second term in 2003.
Tinubu has made notable changes in Nigeria as the president. On his first day in office, he announced the removal of the government subsidy on fuel, a decision that sparked debates but was seen as necessary for economic reform.
This subsidy had been a financial burden on the country for decades. Tinubu also suspended the Central Bank governor, Godwin Emefiele, and initiated reforms in Nigeria’s financial sector.
His presidency has introduced privatization efforts in the petroleum industry and adjustments to Nigeria’s currency policies.
