List of heads of state of Nigeria

This is a list of the heads of state of Nigeria, from independence in 1960 to the present day. The President of Nigeria is the current head of state and government.

Monarchy (1960–1963)

Monarch

Queen			Reign			Royal House	Prime Minister
No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Start	End	Duration
1		Elizabeth II (1926–2022)	1 October 1960	1 October 1963	3 years	Windsor	Abubakar Tafawa Balewa

Governor-General

Governor-General			Term of office			Monarch	Prime Minister
No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Sir James Robertson (1899–1983)	1 October 1960	16 November 1960	46 days	Elizabeth II	Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912–1966)
2		Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904–1996)	16 November 1960	1 October 1963	2 years, 319 days	Elizabeth II	Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912–1966)

Republic (1963–present)

First Republic (1963–1966)

President			Term of office			Political party	Prime Minister
No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1	Nnamdi Azikiwe	Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904–1996)	1 October 1963	16 January 1966	2 years, 107 days	National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons	Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912–1966)

Military Government (1966–1979)

Head of state			Term of office			Military
No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office
2		Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (1924–1966)	16 January 1966	29 July 1966 (assassinated.)	194 days	Federal Military Government
3		General Yakubu Gowon (born 1934)	1 August 1966	29 July 1975 (deposed.)	8 years, 362 days	Federal Military Government
4		General Murtala Mohammed (1938–1976)	29 July 1975	13 February 1976 (assassinated.)	199 days	Federal Military Government
5		Major General Olusegun Obasanjo (born 1937)	13 February 1976	1 October 1979 (resigned.)	3 years, 258 days	Federal Military Government

Second Republic (1979–1983)

President			Elected	Term of office			Political party
No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)		Took office	Left office	Time in office
6		Alhaji Shehu Shagari (1925–2018)	1979 1983	1 October 1979	31 December 1983 (deposed.)	4 years, 91 days	National Party of Nigeria

Military Government (1983–1993)

Head of state/ President			Term of office			Military
No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office
7		Major General Muhammadu Buhari (born 1942)	31 December 1983	27 August 1985 (deposed.)	1 year, 239 days	Supreme Military Council
8		General Ibrahim Babangida (born 1941)	27 August 1985	26 August 1993 (resigned.)	7 years, 364 days	Armed Forces Ruling Council

Interim National Government (1993)

See the main article: Interim National Government

Interim Head of State			Term of office			Political party (at time of start of term)
No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office
9		Chief Ernest Shonekan (1936–2022)	26 August 1993	17 November 1993 (deposed.)	83 days	Independent

Military Government (1993–1999)

Head of state			Term of office			Military
No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office
10		General Sani Abacha (1943–1998)	17 November 1993	8 June 1998 (died in office.)	4 years, 203 days	Provisional Ruling Council
11		General Abdulsalami Abubakar (born 1942)	8 June 1998	29 May 1999 (resigned.)	355 days	Provisional Ruling Council

Fourth Republic (1999–present)

President			Elected	Term of office			Political party
No.	Portrait	Name		Took office	Left office	Time in office
12		Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (born 1937)	1999 2003	29 May 1999	29 May 2007	8 years	People's Democratic Party
13		Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (1951–2010)	2007	29 May 2007	5 May 2010 (died in office.)	2 years, 341 days	People's Democratic Party
14		Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (born 1957)	2011	5 May 2010	29 May 2015	5 years, 25 days	People's Democratic Party
15		Muhammadu Buhari (born 1942)	2015 2019	29 May 2015	29 May 2023	8 years	All Progressives Congress
16		Chief Bola Tinubu (born 1952)	2023	29 May 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 170 days	All Progressives Congress