Political Leaders: Nigeria

Leaders of Nigeria
(Federal Republic of Nigeria)

[To the list of countries]
[To the ZPC Homepage]

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

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

Parties: NCNC: National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons; NPN: National Party of Nigeria; PDP: People's Democratic Party; NPC: Northern People's Congress; n/p: non-party

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 (+)a    military 
Yakubu Gowon             1 Aug 1966 - 29 Jul 1975         military  
Murtala Ramat Mohammed  29 Jul 1975 - 13 Feb 1976 (+)a    military 
Olusegun Obasanjo       14 Feb 1976 -  1 Oct 1979         military

President of the Republic 
Shehu Shagari            1 Oct 1979 - 31 Dec 1983         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         n/p

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

President of the Republic
Olusegun Obasanjo       29 May 1999 - 29 May 2007         PDP  
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua     29 May 2007 -                     PDP

Heads of Government

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

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

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

[To the list of countries]