Only 10 states have produced Presidents in Nigeria - See the list

Since gaining independence from Britain on October 1, 1960, Nigeria has been led by a mix of military rulers and democratically elected presidents.

Across six decades, 16 men have been at the helm of Africa’s most populous country, some by ballot, others by boots. What often goes unnoticed is the geographic diversity of these leaders. Nigeria’s heads of state have come from different cultural, ethnic, and political backgrounds.

Their states of origin offer not only regional representation but also reflect the power dynamics and political shifts that have defined Nigeria’s journey. Below is a comprehensive list of Nigerian states that have produced presidents and heads of state.

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• Full Name: Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe

• Born: November 16, 1904

• President From: October 1, 1963 – January 16, 1966 (Ceremonial)

• Age at Assumption: 58

• Died: May 11, 1996, at age 91

He was the first indigenous Governor-General; he became ceremonial President at age 58 after Nigeria became a republic. He was popularly known as “Zik of Africa,” and he played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s independence movement. He hailed from Anambra, located in the Southeast. Azikiwe’s legacy in Nigerian politics and education, including co-founding the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, remains unmatched.

• Born: March 3, 1924

• Head of State From: January 16, 1966 – July 29, 1966

• Age at Assumption: 41

• Died: Assassinated on July 29, 1966, in a counter-coup.

Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, from Umuahia in Abia State, became Head of State on January 16, 1966, after Nigeria’s first coup. He ruled for just six months before he was assassinated on July 29, 1966. Aguiyi-Ironsi was the first military head of state, symbolising a turbulent shift from democracy to military rule.

• Born: October 19, 1934

• Head of State From: August 1, 1966 – July 29, 1975

• Age at Assumption: 31

• Status: Still alive as of July 2025.

General Yakubu Gowon, from Plateau State, became Head of State at just 31, the youngest in Nigeria’s history, following Ironsi’s assassination. He ruled from August 1966 to July 1975. Gowon led the country during the Nigerian Civil War and promoted the “No victor, no vanquished” policy post-war.

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• Born: November 8, 1938

• Head of State From: July 29, 1975 – February 13, 1976

• Age at Assumption: 36

• Died: Assassinated in Lagos during an attempted coup on February 13, 1976.

General Murtala Mohammed became a leader through a bloodless coup that ousted Gowon. He was known for his bold reforms, including civil service overhauls. He is remembered as a martyr of leadership integrity. He was assassinated barely seven months later, on February 13, 1976.

• Born: March 5, 1937

• Head of State From: February 13, 1976 – October 1, 1979

• Age at Assumption: 38

• Status: Still alive as of July 2025.

Olusegun Obasanjo (from Abeokuta) first became Head of State in 1976 after Murtala’s assassination. He took over after Murtala Mohammed’s assassination and was the first military leader to voluntarily hand over power to a civilian government. He returned as a civilian president two decades later.

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• Born: February 25, 1925

• President From: October 1, 1979 – December 31, 1983

• Age at Assumption: 54

• Died: December 28, 2018, at age 93.

Shehu Shagari became Nigeria’s first executive civilian President on October 1, 1979. Shagari's presidency was cut short by a coup despite efforts to improve education and infrastructure. His civilian-led democratic transition marked a milestone. He was re-elected in 1983 but was overthrown by the military on December 31, 1983.

• Born: December 17, 1942

• Head of State From: December 31, 1983 – August 27, 1985

• Age at Assumption: 41

• Died: 13 July 2025, at age 82

Muhammadu Buhari became military Head of State after ousting Shagari in 1983. Buhari's regime was marked by an anti-corruption crusade and strict discipline, but also human rights criticisms. He would later return as a civilian president decades later.

• Born: August 17, 1941

• Head of State From: August 27, 1985 – August 26, 1993

• Age at Assumption: 44

• Status: Still alive as of July 2025.

Ibrahim Babangida overthrew Buhari in a palace coup and became Head of State in 1985 and ruled until he controversially annulled the 1993 elections. IBB presided over a controversial era of structural adjustment and plunged Nigeria into political uncertainty.

• Born: May 9, 1936

• Head of Interim Govt: August 26, 1993 – November 17, 1993

• Age at Assumption: 57

• Died: January 11, 2022, at age 85.

Shonekan led Nigeria during one of its most unstable periods. His short rule was terminated by Abacha’s coup. Ernest Shonekan, also from Ogun, led the interim government from August 26 to November 17, 1993. He was appointed by Babangida to lead the transitional government.

• Born: September 20, 1943

• Head of State From: November 17, 1993 – June 8, 1998

• Age at Assumption: 50

• Died: June 8, 1998, reportedly of a heart attack.

Sani Abacha assumed power on November 17, 1993, after a military coup ousting Ernest Shonekan. He ruled until his sudden death in June 1998. Kano has produced two of Nigeria’s most controversial military leaders. Abacha is often critiqued for human rights abuses despite economic stabilisation efforts.

• Born: June 13, 1942

• Head of State From: June 9, 1998 – May 29, 1999

• Age at Assumption: 55

• Status: Still alive as of July 2025.

Abdulsalami Abubakar succeeded Abacha in 1998 and handed over power to Obasanjo in 1999. He organized Nigeria’s swift return to democracy.

• President From: May 29, 1999 – May 29, 2007

• Age at Second Assumption: 62

• Status: Still alive.

Obasanjo won the 1999 democratic elections. As a civilian president, Obasanjo oversaw major economic reforms, debt relief, and mobile telecom growth. Ogun State has contributed two heads of state across both civilian and military eras, marking it a politically significant state in Nigeria’s southwest.

• Born: August 16, 1951

• President From: May 29, 2007 – May 5, 2010

• Age at Assumption: 55

• Died: May 5, 2010, after a prolonged illness.

He was elected in 2007. Yar'Adua was respected for his humility and commitment to the rule of law. He initiated electoral reform but died in office. Katsina State has the distinction of producing both military and civilian presidents, highlighting its sustained political influence in northern Nigeria.

• Born: November 20, 1957

• President From: May 6, 2010 – May 29, 2015

• Age at Assumption: 52

• Status: Still alive.

Jonathan took over after Yar’Adua’s death and was elected in 2011. His administration focused on electoral reform, education, and women’s empowerment, though it was marred by corruption allegations. Goodluck Jonathan, from Bayelsa State, lost his re-election in 2015. He remains Nigeria’s only president from the oil-rich Niger Delta, and his administration focused heavily on electoral reforms and national dialogue.

• President From: May 29, 2015 – May 29, 2023

• Age at Assumption: 72

• Status: Died on 13 July 2025, at age 82

Buhari returned as an elected civilian president in 2015 and served until 2023. His second term saw economic challenges, security issues, and subsidy removal debates.

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• Born: March 29, 1952

• President From: May 29, 2023 – Present

• Age at Assumption: 71

• Status: Alive, incumbent President.

Bola Tinubu was sworn in on May 29, 2023, becoming Nigeria’s 16th president at the age of 71. Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, is the first president to emerge from Nigeria’s commercial hub. His presidency began amidst economic reforms and subsidy removals. He was elected in 2023 after years of influence in Nigerian politics.

Out of Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT, only 10 states have produced a head of state or president since independence. Ogun State leads the list with three leaders: Olusegun Obasanjo (both as military and civilian president) and Chief Ernest Shonekan. Katsina State has also produced three leaders, Muhammadu Buhari (military and civilian) and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Kano State follows with two leaders, Murtala Mohammed and Sani Abacha, while Niger State also boasts two: Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar. The remaining six states each produced one leader: Anambra State (Nnamdi Azikiwe), Abia State (Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi), Plateau State (Yakubu Gowon), Sokoto State (Shehu Shagari), Bayelsa State (Goodluck Jonathan), and Lagos State (Bola Ahmed Tinubu).

This distribution highlights the concentration of political leadership in a handful of states, with four states, Ogun, Katsina, Kano, and Niger, producing 10 out of 16 leaders.

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