List of heads of state of Nigeria
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This is a list of the heads of state of Nigeria, from independence in 1960 to the present day.
From 1960 to 1963 the head of state under the Nigeria Independence Act 1960 was the Queen of Nigeria, Elizabeth II, who was also monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The Queen was represented in Nigeria by a Governor-General. Nigeria became a federal republic under the Constitution of 1963 and the monarch and Governor-General were replaced by a ceremonial President. In 1979, under the 1979 Constitution, the President gained executive powers, becoming head of both state and government. Since 1994, under the 1993 Constitution and the current 1999 Constitution, the head of state and government has been called the President.[1] From 1960 to 1963, a constitutional monarch—Elizabeth II—was the head of state of the newly-independent Federation of Nigeria. Nigeria shared the Sovereign with the other states headed by Elizabeth II, including the United Kingdom. The monarch's constitutional roles were mostly delegated to the governor-general of Nigeria.
Elizabeth was the only monarch to reign during this period. As such, she was officially titled Queen of Nigeria.
The Nigerian monarchy was abolished on 1 October 1963, when Nigeria became a republic within the Commonwealth with the president of Nigeria as its head of state.
Monarch (1960–1963)[edit]
The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.
| Queen | Reign | Royal House | Prime Minister | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| № | Portrait | Name | Start | End | Duration | ||
| 1 | .jpg)
|
Elizabeth II (1926–) |
1 October 1960 | 1 October 1963 | 3 years, 0 days | Windsor | Balewa |
Governor-General[edit]
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The Governor-General was the representative of the monarch in Nigeria and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. Since Nigeria was granted independence by the Nigeria Independence Act 1960, rather than being first established as a semi-autonomous Dominion and later promoted to independence by the Statute of Westminster 1931, the Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of the Nigerian cabinet without the involvement of the British government, with the sole of exception of James Robertson, the former colonial governor, who served as Governor-General temporarily until he was replaced by Nnamdi Azikiwe. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice would have served as Officer Administering the Government.
| Governor-General | Term of office | Monarch | Prime Minister | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| № | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||
| 1 | 
|
Sir James Robertson (1899–1983) |
1 October 1960 | 16 November 1960 | 46 days | Elizabeth II | Balewa |
| 2 |
|
Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904–1996) |
16 November 1960 | 1 October 1963 | 2 years, 319 days | Elizabeth II | Balewa |
President (1963)[edit]
| President | Term of office | Political party (at time of election) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| № | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | |
| 1 | 
|
Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904–1996) |
1 October 1963 | 16 January 1966 (deposed.) |
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons |
| 2 |
|
Major-General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (1924–1966) |
16 January 1966 | 29 July 1966 (assassinated.) |
Federal Military Government |
| 3 | 
|
General Yakubu Gowon (1934–) |
1 August 1966 | 29 July 1975 (deposed.) |
Federal Military Government |
| 4 |
|
General Murtala Mohammed (1938–1976) |
29 July 1975 | 13 February 1976 (assassinated.) |
Federal Military Government |
| 5 | 
|
Major-General Olusegun Obasanjo (1937–) |
13 February 1976 | 1 October 1979 (resigned.) |
Federal Military Government |
| 6 | 
|
Shehu Shagari (1925–2018) |
1 October 1979 | 31 December 1983 (deposed.) |
National Party of Nigeria |
| 7 | 
|
Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (1942–) |
31 December 1983 | 27 August 1985 (deposed.) |
Supreme Military Council |
| 8 | .jpg)
|
General Ibrahim Babangida (1941–) |
27 August 1985 | 26 August 1993 (resigned.) |
Armed Forces Ruling Council |
| 9 | 
|
M. K. O. Abiola (1937–1998) |
Never took office | Social Democratic Party (Nigeria) | |
| 10 | _(cropped).jpg)
|
Ernest Shonekan (1936–) |
26 August 1993 | 17 November 1993 (deposed) |
Independent |
| 11 |
|
General Sani Abacha (1943–1998) |
17 November 1993 | 8 June 1998 (died in office) |
Provisional Ruling Council |
| 12 | 
|
General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1942–) |
8 June 1998 | 29 May 1999 (resigned) |
Provisional Ruling Council |
| 13 | .jpg)
|
Olusegun Obasanjo (1937–) |
29 May 1999 | 29 May 2007 | People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) |
| 14 | 
|
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (1951–2010) |
29 May 2007 | 5 May 2010[2] (died in office) | |
| 15 |
|
Goodluck Jonathan
(1957–) |
9 February 2010 | 5 May 2010 | |
| 5 May 2010 | 29 May 2015 | ||||
| 16 | .jpg)
|
Muhammadu Buhari
(1942–) |
29 May 2015 | 6 June 2016 | All Progressives Congress |
| 17 | .jpg)
|
Yemi Osinbajo
(8 March 1957) |
6 June 2016 | 19 June 2016 | |
| 16 |
|
Muhammadu Buhari (1942–) |
19 June 2016 | Till date | |
Timeline[edit]
Standards[edit]
Governor-General's Standard (1960–1963)
Presidential Standard of Nigeria (1963–1966)
Presidential Standard of Nigeria (Armed Forces)
Presidential Standard of Nigeria
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See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Past Presidents & Heads of State". StateHouse, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
- ^ Goodluck Jonathan was Acting President from 9 February to 5 May 2010
External links[edit]
| Queen (1960–1963) | | |
|---|---|---|
| President of the First Republic (1963–1966) | ||
| Military regime (1966–1979) | ||
| President of the Second Republic (1979–1983) | ||
| Military regime (1983–1999) | ||
| President of the Fourth Republic (from 1999) | ||
*civilian; headed transition to abortive Third Republic | ||