Oldest Nigerian presidents in office list

The profile of Nigeria's number one citizen has changed drastically over the decades it's almost unrecognisable.

The roster of military rulers who occupied the seat on-and-off from the 1960s through to the 1990s did so in their 30s and 40s. But since the country returned to a democratic system of government in 1999, that age profile has evolved to shut out younger people, ironically in a nation with one of the most youthful populations anywhere in the world.

Oldest Nigerian presidents in office

The incumbent President Bola Tinubu has turned a new age just a couple of months to his first anniversary in office.

But where does he rank among other old Nigerian presidents, not at the age of assuming office, but more specifically the age at which they stopped being the country's number one citizen?

1. Muhammadu Buhari — 80

Muhammadu Buhari left office in 2023 as Nigeria's oldest ever president [Presidency] Pulse Nigeria

Born on December 17, 1942, Buhari was 72 years old when he took the oath of office in May 2015 for his second coming as Nigeria's number one citizen.

He went on to win re-election in 2019 at the age of 76, breaking his previous record as the oldest candidate to win a Nigerian presidential election. By the time Buhari left office on May 29, 2023, he was 80 years old.

2. Bola Tinubu — 72 (and counting)

President Tinubu will be 75 at the end of his current term [Presidency] Pulse Nigeria

With a date of birth of March 29, 1952, the former governor of Lagos State was 71 when he took the oath of office, taking over from Buhari in May 2023. He's currently 72 and is the second oldest president Nigeria has ever had.

Tinubu will be 75 by the time his current term ends. But even if he wins a second term in 2027, he'd be unable to catch Buhari as he would only be 79 at the end of that term in 2031.

3. Olusegun Obasanjo — 70

Obasanjo was the first president of Nigeria's current fourth republic [OYSG] Pulse Nigeria

By the time of his return as a democratic president in May 1999, Obasanjo, born on March 5, 1937, was 62 years old. The former military head of state was 70 by the time he left in 2007, handing over to another president on this list.

4. Nnamdi Azikiwe — 61

Azikiwe was removed from office [Owelle] Pulse Nigeria

When he transitioned from being the Governor-General of Nigeria to the country's first president on October 1, 1963, Azikiwe, born November 16, 1904, was 58 years old.

He was lucky to escape assassination during Nigeria's first military coup in January 1966, but not lucky enough to keep his position as the country's number one citizen. He was 61 years old when the military removed him.

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5. Shehu Shagari — 58

Shagari's reign was sandwiched between two military governments [History Ville] ece-auto-gen

Shagari, born on February 25, 1925, enjoys the distinction of being Nigeria's first democratically-elected president — he was 54 years old when he assumed office on October 1, 1979.

He had succeeded the military government of General Olusegun Obasanjo but was removed by the military government of General Muhammadu Buhari in December 1983, shortly after he won a second term in office.

He was 58 years old at the time of his removal, less than two months to his next birthday.

6. Umaru Musa Yar'Adua — 58

Yar'Adua died in office [Africa News] Pulse Nigeria

After eight years of serving as the governor of Katsina State, Yar'Adua, born on August 16, 1951, assumed office as Nigeria's president on May 29, 2007, when he was 55 years old. The former lecturer was 58 years old and three months away from his next birthday when he tragically died in May 2010 while still president.