List of Heads of State in Nigeria

The list of Nigeria's heads of state lists those persons who have been heads of state of Nigeria through their political functions since the country's independence in 1960 .

Monarchy (1960–1963)

queen

No.	image	Name (life data)	Official title	Term of office
No.	image	Name (life data)	Official title	Beginning	The End
1.		Elizabeth II (* 1926)	queen	October 1, 1960	October 1, 1963

Governors General

The British monarch was represented in his absence by a governor general:

No.	image	Name (life data)	Official title	Term of office
No.	image	Name (life data)	Official title	Beginning	The End
1.		Sir James Wilson Robertson (1899-1983)	Governor General	October 1, 1960	November 15, 1960
2.		Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904-1996)	Governor General	November 15, 1960	October 1, 1963

Republic (since 1963)

No.	image	Name (life data)	Official title	Term of office			Political party
No.	image	Name (life data)	Official title	Beginning	The End	Reason for termination	Political party
1.		Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904-1996)	president	October 1, 1963	January 16, 1966	Coup	NCNC
-		Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu (1937-1967)	Head of the Supreme Revolutionary Council of the Nigerian Army (Note: in uprising)	(January 15, 1966)	(January 17, 1966)	Fall	military
-		Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (1924-1966)	Head of the Federal Military Government	January 16, 1966	May 24, 1966	-	military
-		Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (1924-1966)	Head of the National Military Government	May 24, 1966	July 29, 1966	Coup	military
-		Yakubu Gowon (* 1934)	Head of the National Military Government	August 1, 1966	September 1, 1966	-	military
-		Yakubu Gowon (* 1934)	Head of the Federal Military Government	September 1, 1966	July 29, 1975	Coup	military
-		Murtala Mohammed (1938–1976)	Head of the Federal Military Government	July 29, 1975	February 13, 1976	Death after attempted coup	military
-		Olusegun Obasanjo (* 1937)	Head of the Federal Military Government	February 13, 1976	1st October 1979	Deselection	military
2.		Shehu Shagari (1925-2018)	president	1st October 1979	December 31, 1983	Coup	NPN
-		Muhammadu Buhari (* 1942)	Head of the Federal Military Government	December 31, 1983	August 27, 1985	Coup	military
-		Ibrahim Babangida (* 1941)	President, Commander in Chief of the Army	August 27, 1985	August 26, 1993	resignation	military
-		Ernest Shonekan (* 1936)	Head of the National Transitional Government	August 26, 1993	17th November 1993	resignation	independent
-		Sani Abacha (1944–1998)	Chairman of the Supreme Management Council	17th November 1993	June 8, 1998	death	military
-		Abdulsalami Abubakar (* 1942)	Chairman of the Supreme Management Council	June 9, 1998	May 29, 1999	Deselection	military
3.		Olusegun Obasanjo (* 1937)	president	May 29, 1999	May 29, 2007	Deselection	PDP
4th		Umaru Yar'Adua (1951-2010)	president	May 29, 2007	May 5, 2010	death	PDP
5.		Goodluck Jonathan (* 1957)	president	May 5, 2010	May 29, 2015	Deselection	PDP
6th		Muhammadu Buhari (* 1942)	president	May 29, 2015	officiating		APC

Web links

List of Heads of State and Government of Nigeria , World Statesmen.org (English)
List of portraits ( memento of December 2, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) (after independence)

Individual evidence

↑ From the presidential election in 1993 was Moshood Abiola out victorious. When he declared himself president in 1994, he was imprisoned until his death in 1998.

[1] From the presidential election in 1993 was Moshood Abiola out victorious. When he declared himself president in 1994, he was imprisoned until his death in 1998.