This is a list of heads of state of Nigeria by age.
Overview
The youngest person to become head of state was Yakubu Gowon, who at the age of 31, assumed office after the assassination of Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi during the July 1966 counter-coup. The youngest civilian head of state to assume the presidency was Goodluck Jonathan, who at the age of 52, succeeded to the office after the death of Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, he was also the youngest person elected to the office at the age of 53. The youngest to become head of state by election was Shehu Shagari, who was inaugurated at age 54. The oldest person to assume the presidency was Muhammadu Buhari who was inaugurated at age 72.
Assassinated at age 37, Murtala Muhammed was the youngest head of state at the end of his tenure, and his lifespan was the shortest of any head of state, he was the only head of state not to have lived to the age of 40. At age 40, Yakubu Gowon was the youngest person to become a former head of state. The oldest head of state at the end of his tenure was also Muhammadu Buhari at 80.
Buhari's second retirement, now 1 year, 204 days, is currently the shortest, Yakubu Gowon's retirement, now 49 years, is the longest in Nigeria's history. At age 90, Gowon is also the oldest of the seven living heads of state. Shehu Shagari who died in 2018 aged 93 is the nation's longest-lived head of state. Three heads of state (Shehu Shagari, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Yakubu Gowon) have lived into their 90s. The youngest living head of state is Goodluck Jonathan, age 67.
List of heads of state by age at assuming office
This is a list of heads of state of Nigeria by age at assuming office from the youngest to the oldest.
| Name | Date of birth | Date of death | Date and age at assuming office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yakubu Gowon | 19 October 1934 | (living) | 1 August 1966(1966-08-01) (aged 31) |
| Murtala Muhammed | 8 November 1938 | 13 February 1976 | 29 July 1975(1975-07-29) (aged 36) |
| Olusegun Obasanjo | 5 March 1937 | (living) | 13 February 1976(1976-02-13) (aged 38) |
| Muhammadu Buhari | 17 December 1942 | (living) | 31 December 1983(1983-12-31) (aged 41) |
| Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi | 3 March 1924 | 29 July 1966 | 16 January 1966(1966-01-16) (aged 41) |
| Ibrahim Babangida | 17 August 1941 | (living) | 27 August 1985(1985-08-27) (aged 44) |
| Sani Abacha | 20 September 1943 | 8 June 1998 | 17 November 1993(1993-11-17) (aged 50) |
| Goodluck Jonathan | 20 November 1957 | (living) | 6 May 2010(2010-05-06) (aged 52) |
| Shehu Shagari | 25 February 1925 | 28 December 2018 | 1 October 1979(1979-10-01) (aged 54) |
| Umaru Musa Yar'Adua | 16 August 1951 | 5 May 2010 | 29 May 2007(2007-05-29) (aged 55) |
| Abdulsalami Abubakar | 13 June 1942 | (living) | 8 June 1998(1998-06-08) (aged 55) |
| Ernest Shonekan | 9 May 1936 | 11 January 2022 | 26 August 1993(1993-08-26) (aged 57) |
| Nnamdi Azikiwe | 16 November 1904 | 11 May 1996 | 1 October 1963(1963-10-01) (aged 58) |
| Olusegun Obasanjo | 5 March 1937 | (living) | 29 May 1999(1999-05-29) (aged 62) |
| Bola Tinubu | 29 March 1952 | (living) | 29 May 2023(2023-05-29) (aged 71) |
| Muhammadu Buhari | 17 December 1942 | (living) | 29 May 2015(2015-05-29) (aged 72) |
List of heads of state by longevity
This table shows heads of state by their longevity (living heads of state in gold).
| Rank |
Head of state |
Date of birth |
Date of death |
Longevity (Years, Days) |
Longevity (Days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shehu Shagari | 25 February 1925 | 28 December 2018 | 93 years, 306 days | 34,274 days |
| 2 | Nnamdi Azikiwe | 16 November 1904 | 11 May 1996 | 91 years, 177 days | 33,414 days |
| 3 | Yakubu Gowon | 19 October 1934 | Living | 90 years, 61 days | 32,934 days |
| 4 | Olusegun Obasanjo | 5 March 1937 | Living | 87 years, 289 days | 32,066 days |
| 5 | Ernest Shonekan | 9 May 1936 | 11 January 2022 | 85 years, 247 days | 31,293 days |
| 6 | Ibrahim Babangida | 17 August 1941 | Living | 83 years, 124 days | 30,440 days |
| 7 | Abdulsalami Abubakar | 13 June 1942 | Living | 82 years, 189 days | 30,140 days |
| 8 | Muhammadu Buhari | 17 December 1942 | Living | 82 years, 2 days | 29,953 days |
| 9 | Bola Tinubu | 29 March 1952 | Living | 72 years, 265 days | 26,563 days |
| 10 | Goodluck Jonathan | 20 November 1957 | Living | 67 years, 29 days | 24,501 days |
| 11 | Umaru Musa Yar'Adua | 16 August 1951 | 5 May 2010 | 58 years, 262 days | 21,447 days |
| 12 | Sani Abacha | 20 September 1943 | 8 June 1998 | 54 years, 261 days | 19,985 days |
| 13 | Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi | 3 March 1924 | 29 July 1966 | 42 years, 148 days | 15,488 days |
| 14 | Murtala Muhammed | 8 November 1938 | 13 February 1976 | 37 years, 97 days | 13,611 days |
| List of heads of state of Nigeria | 14 |
|---|---|
| Living | 7 |
| Deceased | 7 |
Nigerian heads of state's ages
This table charts the age of each head of state of Nigeria at the time of assuming office, upon leaving office, and at the time of death. Where the head of state is still living, their lifespan and post head of state timespan are calculated up to 19 December 2024.
| # |
Head of state |
Date of birth |
Date of assuming office |
Age at assuming office |
End of term |
Age at end of term |
Length of retirement |
Date of death |
Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nnamdi Azikiwe | 16 November 1904 | 1 October 1963 (1963-10-01) | 58 years, 319 days | 16 January 1966 (1966-01-16) | 61 years, 61 days | 30 years, 116 days | 11 May 1996 | 33,414 days (91 years, 177 days) |
| 2 | Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi | 3 March 1924 | 16 January 1966 (1966-01-16) | 41 years, 319 days | 29 July 1966 (1966-07-29) | 42 years, 148 days | 00,0010 days | 29 July 1966 | 15,488 days (42 years, 148 days) |
| 3 | Yakubu Gowon | 19 October 1934 | 1 August 1966 (1966-08-01) | 31 years, 286 days | 29 July 1975 (1975-07-29) | 40 years, 283 days | 49 years, 143 days | (living) | 32,934 days (90 years, 61 days) |
| 4 | Murtala Muhammed | 8 November 1938 | 29 July 1975 (1975-07-29) | 36 years, 263 days | 13 February 1976 (1976-02-13) | 37 years, 97 days | 00,0010 days | 13 February 1976 | 13,611 days (37 years, 97 days) |
| 5 | Olusegun Obasanjo | 5 March 1937 | 13 February 1976 (1976-02-13) | 38 years, 345 days | 1 October 1979 (1979-10-01) | 42 years, 210 days | 19 years, 240 days | (living) | 32,066 days (87 years, 289 days) |
| 6 | Shehu Shagari | 25 February 1925 | 1 October 1979 (1979-10-01) | 54 years, 218 days | 31 December 1983 (1983-12-31) | 58 years, 309 days | 34 years, 362 days | 28 December 2018 | 34,274 days (93 years, 306 days) |
| 7 | Muhammadu Buhari | 17 December 1942 | 31 December 1983 (1983-12-31) | 41 years, 14 days | 27 August 1985 (1985-08-27) | 42 years, 253 days | 29 years, 275 days | (living) | 29,953 days (82 years, 2 days) |
| 8 | Ibrahim Babangida | 17 August 1941 | 27 August 1985 (1985-08-27) | 44 years, 10 days | 26 August 1993 (1993-08-26) | 52 years, 9 days | 31 years, 115 days | (living) | 30,440 days (83 years, 124 days) |
| 9 | Ernest Shonekan | 9 May 1936 | 26 August 1993 (1993-08-26) | 57 years, 109 days | 17 November 1993 (1993-11-17) | 57 years, 192 days | 28 years, 55 days | 11 January 2022 | 31,293 days (85 years, 247 days) |
| 10 | Sani Abacha | 20 September 1943 | 17 November 1993 (1993-11-17) | 50 years, 58 days | 8 June 1998 (1998-06-08) | 54 years, 261 days | 00,0010 days | 8 June 1998 | 19,985 days (54 years, 261 days) |
| 11 | Abdulsalami Abubakar | 13 June 1942 | 8 June 1998 (1998-06-08) | 55 years, 360 days | 29 May 1999 (1999-05-29) | 56 years, 350 days | 25 years, 204 days | (living) | 30,140 days (82 years, 189 days) |
| 12 | Olusegun Obasanjo | 5 March 1937 | 29 May 1999 (1999-05-29) | 62 years, 85 days | 29 May 2007 (2007-05-29) | 70 years, 85 days | 17 years, 204 days | (living) | 32,066 days (87 years, 289 days) |
| 13 | Umaru Musa Yar'Adua | 16 August 1951 | 29 May 2007 (2007-05-29) | 55 years, 286 days | 5 May 2010 (2010-05-05) | 58 years, 262 days | 00,0010 days | 5 May 2010 | 21,447 days (58 years, 262 days) |
| 14 | Goodluck Jonathan | 20 November 1957 | 6 May 2010 (2010-05-06) | 52 years, 167 days | 29 May 2015 (2015-05-29) | 57 years, 190 days | 9 years, 204 days | (living) | 24,501 days (67 years, 29 days) |
| 15 | Muhammadu Buhari | 17 December 1942 | 29 May 2015 (2015-05-29) | 72 years, 163 days | 29 May 2023 (2023-05-29) | 80 years, 163 days | 1 year, 204 days | (living) | 29,953 days (82 years, 2 days) |
| 16 | Bola Tinubu | 29 March 1952 | 29 May 2023 (2023-05-29) | 71 years, 61 days | (incumbent) | (incumbent) | (incumbent) | (living) | 26,563 days (72 years, 265 days) |
| # | Head of state | Date of birth | Date of assuming office |
Age at assuming office |
End of term |
Age at end of term |
Length of retirement |
Date of death | Lifespan |
Notes
- ^ Died in office
- Obasanjo was head of state for two non-consecutive periods; this is his first post-head of state retirement, between the end of his military tenure in 1979 and his inauguration in 1999.
- Buhari was head of state for two non-consecutive periods; this is his first post-head of state retirement, between the end of his military tenure in 1985 and his inauguration in 2015.
- Obasanjo was head of state for two non-consecutive periods; this is his post-presidential retirement, after his second period in office (1999–2007).
- Buhari was head of state for two non-consecutive periods; this is his post-presidential retirement, after his second period in office (2015–2023).
References
- "I felt petrified when I emerged Head of State – Gowon". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- "Nigeria's President Buhari promises change at inauguration". BBC News. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
- "Historic succession complete as Buhari is sworn in as the president of Nigeria". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
- "50 Interesting Facts about Murtala Muhammed". HistoryVille. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
- "Historic succession complete as Buhari is sworn in as the president of Nigeria". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
- "Ex-President Shehu Shagari dies at 93". Punch News. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- "Shehu Shagari, Nigerian President During '80s Oil Crisis, Dies at 93". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 December 2018.