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.

ALSO READ: 8 Nigerian state governors who bought expensive jets while in office

States That Have Produced Presidents/Heads Of State

1. Anambra State – Nnamdi Azikiwe

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.

2. Abia State – Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi

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.

3. Plateau State – Yakubu Gowon

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.

4. Kano State – General Murtala Mohammed

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.

5. Ogun State – General Olusegun Obasanjo (Military Era)

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.

YOU MIGHT LIKE: Nigeria’s First Ladies From 1999: — Who’s your favourite?

6. Sokoto State – Alhaji Shehu Shagari

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.

7. Katsina State – Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Military Era)

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.

8. Niger State – General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida

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.

9. Ogun State – Chief Ernest Shonekan

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.

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