Nigeria’s Presidents / Heads of States and their Vice

1. 1st Oct. 1960 – 1st Oct. 1963: Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe 
(Governor General)
Sir. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; (Prime Minister)

1st Oct. 1963 – 16thJan.1966: Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe 
(President)
Sir. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; (Prime Minister)

2. 16th Jan. 1966 – 29th July 1966: Gen J.T.U Aguyi 
Ironsi (Military Head of State) 
Brig. Babafemi Ogundipe (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.)

3. 1st Aug. – 29th July 1975: Gen. Yakubu Gowon 
(Military Head of State)
Vice Admiral Joseph Edet AkinwaleWey, 
(Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.)

4. 29th July 1975 – 13th Feb. 1976: Gen. Murtala Ramat 
Muhammed (Military Head of State)
Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.)

5. 13th Feb. 1976 – 1st Oct. 1979: Gen. Olusegun 
Obasanjo (Military Head of State)
Maj. Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (Chief of Staff, 
Supreme Hq.)

6. 1st Oct. 1979 – 31st Dec. 1983: Alhaji Shehu 
Shagari (President)
Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme (Vice President)

7. 31st Dec. 1983 – 27th Aug. 1985 Maj. Gen. 
Muhammadu Buhari (Military Head of State)
Brig. Babatunde Idiagbon (Chief of Staff, Supreme 
Hq.)

8. 27th Aug. 1985 – 26th Aug. 1993 Gen. Ibrahim 
Badamasi Babangida (Military President)
Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (Chief of General 
Staff;1985 -1986),
Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (Chief of General 
Staff;1986-1993)

9. 26th Aug. – 17th Nov. 1993: Ernest Shonekan (Head 
of Interim National Government) 

10. 17th Nov. 1993 – 8th June 1998: Gen. Sani Abacha 
(Military Head of State)
Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya (Chief of General Staff)

11. 8th June 1998 – 29th May 1999: Gen. Abdulsalami 
Abubakar (Military Head of State)
Vice Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe (Chief of 
General Staff)

12. 29th May 1999 – 29th May 2007: Chief Olusegun 
Obasanjo (President)
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (Vice President)

13. 29th May 2007 – 5th May 2010: Umaru Musa Yar’Adua 
(President)
Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Vice President)

14. 9th Feb.2010 – 6th May 2010: Dr. Goodluck Ebele 
Jonathan (Acting President, Acted for Umaru M. 
Yar’Adua who was indisposed due to ill health)

15. 6th May 2010- 29th May 2011: Dr. Goodluck Ebele 
Jonathan (President)
Arc. Namadi sambo; (Vice president)

16. 29th May 2011 – : Dr. Goodluck Ebele 
Jonathan (President)
Arc. Namadi sambo (Vice president)

Nigeria is a country in Africa, a regional power on the continent and an emerging power on the international scene.

It has 36 states and a Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Having being divided into states, the country is further divided into 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

The LGAs are under the control of their respective states.

The country has the largest economy in Africa.

Nigeria’s population is over 230 million, making it number 1 most populated country in Africa, and number 6 in the world.

It covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 sq mi).

It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea to the south in the Atlantic Ocean.

Nigeria borders Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west.

It is often referred to as the Giant of Africa owing to its large population and economy and is considered to be an emerging market by the World Bank.

However, the country ranks very low in the Human Development Index and remains one of the most corrupt nations in the world.

The largest city in Nigeria is Lagos, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and the largest in Africa.

Nigeria is a multinational state inhabited by more than 250 ethnic groups speaking 500 distinct languages, all identifying with a wide variety of cultures.

The official language is English, chosen to facilitate linguistic unity at the national level.

Nigeria is a founding member of AU (African Union) and a member of other international organizations including UN (United Nations), Commonwealth of Nations and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States).