Political Leaders: Nigeria

Leaders of Nigeria
(Federal Republic of Nigeria)

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Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB website.

Note: From the accession to independence (1 Oct 1960) to the adoption of the Republic (1 Oct 1963) the head of the State was the British monarch (Queen Elizabeth II), being represented by a Governor-General.

Parties: ACN: Action Congress of Nigeria - APC: All Progressives Congress - NCNC: National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons - NPN: National Party of Nigeria - PDP: People's Democratic Party - NPC: Northern People's Congress

Heads of State

Governors-General
James Wilson Robertson  15 Jun 1955 - 16 Nov 1960 (†1983) n/p
Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe  1 Oct 1960 -  1 Oct 1963 (†1996) NCNC 

President of the Republic
Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe  1 Oct 1963 - 16 Jan 1966 (†1996) NCNC

Heads of the Military Government
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi   16 Jan 1966 - 29 Jul 1966 (†1966) military 
Yakubu Gowon             1 Aug 1966 - 29 Jul 1975         military  
Murtala Ramat Mohammed  29 Jul 1975 - 13 Feb 1976 (†1976) military 
Olusegun Obasanjo       14 Feb 1976 -  1 Oct 1979         military

President of the Republic 
Shehu Shagari            1 Oct 1979 - 31 Dec 1983 (†2018) NPN 

Head of the Federal Military Government
Muhammadu Buhari        31 Dec 1983 - 27 Aug 1985         military

Chairman of the Armed Forces Ruling Council
Ibrahim Babangida       27 Aug 1985 -  4 Jan 1993         military

Chairman of the National Defence and Security Council
Ibrahim Babangida        4 Jan 1993 - 26 Aug 1993         military

Head of the Interim National Government
Ernest Shonekan         26 Aug 1993 - 17 Nov 1993 (†2022) n/p

Chairmen of the Provisional Ruling Council
Sani Abacha             17 Nov 1993 -  8 Jun 1998 (†1998) military
Abdulsalam Abubakar      9 Jun 1998 - 29 May 1999         military

Presidents of the Republic
Olusegun Obasanjo       29 May 1999 - 29 May 2007         PDP  
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua     29 May 2007 -  5 May 2010 (†2010) PDP
Goodluck Jonathan        5 May 2010 - 29 May 2015         PDP (acting to 6 May, for Yar'Adua from 9 Feb 2010)
Muhammadu Buhari        29 May 2015 - 29 May 2023         APC
Bola Tinubu             29 May 2023 -                     APC

Heads of Government

Prime Minister
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa  30 Aug 1957 - 15 Jan 1966 (†1966) NPC

Head of the Transitional Council
Ernest Shonekan          4 Jan 1993 - 26 Aug 1993 (†2022) n/p

Head of the Interim National Government
Ernest Shonekan         26 Aug 1993 - 17 Nov 1993 (†2022) n/p

Vice Presidens of the Republic

Babafemi Ogundipe          1966      (†1971) military (de facto)
Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey   1966-1975 (†1990) military (de facto)
Olusegun Obasanjo          1975-1976         military (de facto)
Shehu Musa Yar'Adua        1976-1979 (†1997) military (de facto)
Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme 1979-1983 (+2017) NPN
Babatunde Idiagbon         1983-1985 (†1999) military (de facto)
Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe           1985-1986         military (de facto)
Augustus Akhabue Aikhomu   1986-1993 (†2011) military (de facto)
Donaldson Oladipo Diya     1993-1997         military (de facto)
Mike Okhai Akhigbe         1997-1999 (†2013) military (de facto)
Atiku Abubakar             1999-2007         PDP, ACN
Goodluck Jonathan          2007-2010         PDP
Muhammad Namadi Sambo      2010-2015         PDP
Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo   2015-2023         APC
Kashim Shettima Mustapha   2023-             APC

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