Nigeria

Current head of state

Bola Tinubu President of Nigeria In office 2023–present · 3.2y PartyAction Congress of Nigeria Born 1952 · took office at 71 Nosa Asemota · CC BY-SA 4.0

Bola Tinubu

President of Nigeria

Since 2023 3.2 years in office

Governance indicator

-1.08

−2.50+2.5

World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, composite of six dimensions · 2024

Chamber

House of Representatives of Nigeria

Seats

360

Speaker

—

Active alliances

32

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Nnamdi Azikiwe Nnamdi Azikiwe President of Nigeria In office 1963–1966 · 2.3y PartyNational Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons Born 1904 · took office at 58 Kambai Akau · CC BY-SA 4.0

Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi President of Nigeria In office 1966–1966 · 0.5y Partymilitary dictatorship Born 1924 · took office at 41 Took power coup 1966-01-15 Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain

Yakubu Gowon Yakubu Gowon President of Nigeria In office 1966–1975 · 9y Partymilitary dictatorship Born 1934 · took office at 31 Took power coup 1966-07-29 User:Rkasesela per [1] · CC BY-SA 3.0

Murtala Muhammed Murtala Muhammed President of Nigeria In office 1975–1976 · 0.5y Born 1938 · took office at 36 Took power coup 1975-07-29 Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain

Olusegun Obasanjo Olusegun Obasanjo President of Nigeria In office 1976–1979 · 3.6y PartyPeoples Democratic Party Born 1937 · took office at 38 Helene C. Stikkel · Public domain

Shehu Shagari Shehu Shagari President of Nigeria In office 1979–1983 · 4.2y PartyNational Party of Nigeria Born 1925 · took office at 54 Clawson · Public domain

Muhammadu Buhari Muhammadu Buhari President of Nigeria In office 1983–1985 · 1.7y PartyAll Progressives Congress Born 1942 · took office at 41 Took power coup 1983-12-31 Bayo Omoboriowo · CC BY-SA 4.0

Ibrahim Babangida Ibrahim Babangida President of Nigeria In office 1985–1993 · 8y PartyPeoples Democratic Party Born 1941 · took office at 44 Took power coup 1985-08-27 Seiperi · CC BY-SA 3.0

Ernest Shonekan Ernest Shonekan President of Nigeria In office 1993–1993 · 0.2y Born 1936 · took office at 57 Took power coup 1993-08-26 Foreign and Commonwealth Office · OGL v1.0

Sani Abacha Sani Abacha President of Nigeria In office 1993–1998 · 4.6y Partyindependent politician Born 1943 · took office at 50 Took power coup 1993-11-17

Abdulsalami Abubakar Abdulsalami Abubakar President of Nigeria In office 1998–1999 · 1y Born 1942 · took office at 55 SSGT Karen L. Sanders, USAF · Public domain

Olusegun Obasanjo Olusegun Obasanjo President of Nigeria In office 1999–2007 · 8y PartyPeoples Democratic Party Born 1937 · took office at 62 Helene C. Stikkel · Public domain

Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Umaru Musa Yar'Adua President of Nigeria In office 2007–2010 · 2.9y PartyPeoples Democratic Party Born 1951 · took office at 55 Marcello Casal Jr./ABr · CC BY 3.0 br

Goodluck Jonathan Goodluck Jonathan President of Nigeria In office 2010–2015 · 5.1y PartyPeoples Democratic Party Born 1957 · took office at 52 World Economic Forum · CC BY-SA 2.0

Muhammadu Buhari Muhammadu Buhari President of Nigeria In office 2015–2023 · 8y PartyAll Progressives Congress Born 1942 · took office at 72 Bayo Omoboriowo · CC BY-SA 4.0

Bola Tinubu Bola Tinubu President of Nigeria In office 2023–present · 3.2y PartyAction Congress of Nigeria Born 1952 · took office at 71 Nosa Asemota · CC BY-SA 4.0

1966-01-15 1966-07-29 1975-07-29 1983-12-31 1985-08-27 1993-08-26 1993-11-17

Term Began with a realized coup In office Realized coup — dated

The scale spans every dated record held for this country, so it may begin before the first leader on file — a gap at the left means coups are recorded for years where no office-holder is. Coup markers link to the Cline Center source.

1. 2023– Bola Tinubu President of Nigeria In office 2023–present · 3.2y PartyAction Congress of Nigeria Born 1952 · took office at 71 Nosa Asemota · CC BY-SA 4.0 Bola Tinubu In office 3.2y
2. 2015–2023 Muhammadu Buhari President of Nigeria In office 2015–2023 · 8y PartyAll Progressives Congress Born 1942 · took office at 72 Bayo Omoboriowo · CC BY-SA 4.0 Muhammadu Buhari 8y
3. 2010–2015 Goodluck Jonathan President of Nigeria In office 2010–2015 · 5.1y PartyPeoples Democratic Party Born 1957 · took office at 52 World Economic Forum · CC BY-SA 2.0 Goodluck Jonathan 5.1y
4. 2007–2010 Umaru Musa Yar'Adua President of Nigeria In office 2007–2010 · 2.9y PartyPeoples Democratic Party Born 1951 · took office at 55 Marcello Casal Jr./ABr · CC BY 3.0 br Umaru Musa Yar'Adua 2.9y
5. 1999–2007 Olusegun Obasanjo President of Nigeria In office 1999–2007 · 8y PartyPeoples Democratic Party Born 1937 · took office at 62 Helene C. Stikkel · Public domain Olusegun Obasanjo 8y
6. 1998–1999 Abdulsalami Abubakar President of Nigeria In office 1998–1999 · 1y Born 1942 · took office at 55 SSGT Karen L. Sanders, USAF · Public domain Abdulsalami Abubakar 1y
7. 1993–1998 SA Sani Abacha President of Nigeria In office 1993–1998 · 4.6y Partyindependent politician Born 1943 · took office at 50 Took power coup 1993-11-17 Sani Abacha Coup 1993 4.6y
8. 1993–1993 Ernest Shonekan President of Nigeria In office 1993–1993 · 0.2y Born 1936 · took office at 57 Took power coup 1993-08-26 Foreign and Commonwealth Office · OGL v1.0 Ernest Shonekan Coup 1993 0.2y
9. 1985–1993 Ibrahim Babangida President of Nigeria In office 1985–1993 · 8y PartyPeoples Democratic Party Born 1941 · took office at 44 Took power coup 1985-08-27 Seiperi · CC BY-SA 3.0 Ibrahim Babangida Coup 1985 8y
10. 1983–1985 Muhammadu Buhari President of Nigeria In office 1983–1985 · 1.7y PartyAll Progressives Congress Born 1942 · took office at 41 Took power coup 1983-12-31 Bayo Omoboriowo · CC BY-SA 4.0 Muhammadu Buhari Coup 1983 1.7y
11. 1979–1983 Shehu Shagari President of Nigeria In office 1979–1983 · 4.2y PartyNational Party of Nigeria Born 1925 · took office at 54 Clawson · Public domain Shehu Shagari 4.2y
12. 1976–1979 Olusegun Obasanjo President of Nigeria In office 1976–1979 · 3.6y PartyPeoples Democratic Party Born 1937 · took office at 38 Helene C. Stikkel · Public domain Olusegun Obasanjo 3.6y
13. 1975–1976 Murtala Muhammed President of Nigeria In office 1975–1976 · 0.5y Born 1938 · took office at 36 Took power coup 1975-07-29 Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain Murtala Muhammed Coup 1975 0.5y
14. 1966–1975 Yakubu Gowon President of Nigeria In office 1966–1975 · 9y Partymilitary dictatorship Born 1934 · took office at 31 Took power coup 1966-07-29 User:Rkasesela per [1] · CC BY-SA 3.0 Yakubu Gowon Coup 1966 9y
15. 1966–1966 Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi President of Nigeria In office 1966–1966 · 0.5y Partymilitary dictatorship Born 1924 · took office at 41 Took power coup 1966-01-15 Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi Coup 1966 0.5y
16. 1963–1966 Nnamdi Azikiwe President of Nigeria In office 1963–1966 · 2.3y PartyNational Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons Born 1904 · took office at 58 Kambai Akau · CC BY-SA 4.0 Nnamdi Azikiwe 2.3y

• 1993
  1993-11-17 MilitaryPalace
• 1993
  1993-08-26 Leader resigned
• 1985
  1985-08-27 Palace
• 1983
  1983-12-31 Military
• 1975
  1975-07-29 Military Leader exiled
• 1966
  1966-07-29 Military
• 1966
  1966-01-15 Military

Source: Cline Center Coup d’État Project — realized events only.

• 2023
  Nigeria House of Representatives February 2023 Election All Progressives Congress (APC)18050% People's Democratic Party (PDP)11632.2% Labour Party (LP)359.7% New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)195.3%

  Seats

  360

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  3.9%

  Parties won

  —

• 2023
  Nigeria Senate February 2023 Election All Progressives Congress (APC)5954.1% People's Democratic Party (PDP)3633% Labour Party (LP)87.3% New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)21.8%

  Seats

  109

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  2.8%

  Parties won

  —

• 2019
  Nigeria Senate February 2019 Election All Progressives Congress (APC)6357.8% People's Democratic Party (PDP)4440.4% Young Progressive Party (YPP)10.9%

  Seats

  109

  Turnout

  35.7%

  Women

  6.5%

  Parties won

  3

• 2019
  Nigeria House of Representatives February 2019 Election All Progressives Congress (APC)21058.3% People's Democratic Party (PDP)13236.7% All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)92.5% Action Alliance (AA)20.6%

  Seats

  360

  Turnout

  35.7%

  Women

  3.4%

  Parties won

  7

• 2015
  Nigeria Senate March 2015 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  43.7%

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2015
  Nigeria House of Representatives March 2015 Election All Progressives Congress (APC)21258.9% People's Democratic Party (PDP)14038.9% All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)51.4% Labour Party (LP)10.3%

  Seats

  360

  Turnout

  43.7%

  Women

  5.6%

  Parties won

  5

• 2011
  Nigeria Senate April 2011 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2011
  Nigeria House of Representatives April 2011 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2007
  Nigeria Senate April 2007 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2007
  Nigeria House of Representatives April 2007 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2003
  Nigeria House of Representatives April 2003 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2003
  Nigeria Senate April 2003 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1999
  Nigeria House of Representatives February 1999 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1999
  Nigeria Senate February 1999 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1992
  Nigeria Senate July 1992 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1992
  Nigeria House of Representatives July 1992 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1983
  Nigeria House of Representatives August 1983 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1983
  Nigeria Senate August 1983 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1979
  Nigeria House of Representatives July 1979 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1979
  Nigeria Senate July 1979 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

Source: ipu_parline.

Separatist and self-determination movements recorded for this country. Coverage is partial — this is what the source describes, not a complete census of secessionism.

• Indigenous People of Biafra nationalist separatist group in Nigeria
  2012– classified separatist
• Biafra Zionist Movement secessionist group in Nigeria
  2010– from description
• Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra secessionist movement
  from description

Source: Wikidata. “Classified separatist” means the source explicitly tags the movement as such; the rest are identified from their description. The authoritative dataset for secessionist conflict is UCDP/PRIO, which is not yet ingested.

Fertility rate

4.4 2024

Life expectancy at birth

54.6 2024

Population growth

2.1 2024

Total population

232.7M 2024

Urban population percent

63.0 2024

Adult literacy rate

70.4 2024

Government expenditure on education percent of GDP

0.3 2023

Primary net enrollment ratio

64.1 2010

Ethnic groups

Religion

Languages

• English
• Hausa
• Yoruba
• Igbo
• Fulani
• over 500 additional indigenous languages

Composition: CIA World Factbook, 2018 estimate. Shares are reproduced as published and are not renormalised, so a country may total slightly under or over 100%.

Regional & continental

• AfCFTA
• African Union
• ECOWAS
• OIC 1986

Global bodies & treaties

• African Development Bank
• African Groundnut Council
• Commonwealth of Nations left 1995
• Commonwealth of Nations
• Group on Earth Observations
• Gulf of Guinea Commission
• International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
• International Civil Defence Organisation
• International Development Association
• International Finance Corporation
• International Hydrographic Organization
• International Telecommunication Union
• Interpol
• Lake Chad Basin Commission
• Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
• Multinational Joint Task Force
• Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
• Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States
• Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
• UNESCO
• United Nations
• United Nations–African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur
• Universal Postal Union
• World Customs Organization
• World Health Organization
• World Meteorological Organization
• World Trade Organization

• ICJ 1999 decided

  Request for Interpretation of the Judgment of 11 June 1998 in the Case concerning the Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria), Preliminary Objections (Nigeria v. Cameroon)

  land and maritime boundary

• ICJ 1994 decided

  Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria: Equatorial Guinea intervening)

  land and maritime boundary

Register

Every party the observatory holds for this country, historical and current — the register is not filtered to parties currently holding seats.

• Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party Tope Kolade Fasua
• Accord A
• Action Alliance AA Barr. Udeze Kenneth
• Action Congress of Nigeria Pan-Africanism; classical liberalism
• Action Democratic Party Engr. Yabayi V. Sani
• Action Democratic Party ADP minor party Yabagi Sani
• Action Group social democracy Obafemi Awolowo
• Action People’s Party APP
• Advanced Allied Party Salihu Abdullahi Butu
• Advanced Congress of Democrats
• Advanced Nigerian Democracy Party Charles Ogboli
• Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance Mohammed Shittu Kabiru
• African Action Congress Sowore Omoyele
• African Action Congress
• African Democratic Congress ADC social democracy Ralph Nwosu
• African Democratic Congress Registry
• African Peoples Alliance Emmanuel Urhuarhovie
• All Blended Party
• All Blending Party Moses Godia Shipi
• All Grand Alliance Party Okey Chikwendu
• All Grassroots Alliance Olukayode Oshiariyo
• Alliance for Democracy progressivism
• Alliance for Democracy AD progressivism
• Alliance for Democracy Chief Joseph Avazi
• Alliance for New Nigeria technocracy Jay Osi Samuel
• Alliance National Party Asiwaju Mashood Shittu
• Allied Congress Party of Nigeria Ganiyu O. Galadima
• Allied Peoples Movement APM
• All Nigeria Peoples Party Islamic democracy; conservatism; economic liberalism
• All People's Party
• All Peoples Party
• All Progressives Congress APC African socialism; federalism; populism; progressivism; social conservatism; social democracy Adams Oshiomhole
• All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA decentralization; nationalism; progressivism
• Better Nigeria Progressive Party
• Biafra Nations League
• BOOT Party
• Borno Youth Movement
• Coalition for Change Geff Chizee Ojinika
• Communist Party of Nigeria communism
• Congress for Progressive Change federalism; social conservatism; social liberalism Tony Momoh
• Convention People's Party of Nigeria and the Cameroons
• Democracy Peoples Congress Olusegun Peters
• Democratic Alternative
• Democratic Party of Nigeria and the Cameroons
• Democratic Party of Nigeria and the Cameroons
• Democratic People's Party
• Democratic Peoples Party Garshon Benson
• Democratic Socialist Movement Trotskyism
• Dynamic Party
• Egbe Omo Oduduwa
• Enugu State People's Democratic Party
• Fresh Democratic Party
• Grassroots Democratic Movement
• Great Nigeria People's Party
• Ibadan Peoples Party
• Justice Must Prevail Party
• Kano People's Party
• KOWA Party
• Labour Party LP social democracy
• Midwest Democratic Front
• Movement for a Socialist Alternative
• National Conscience Party
• National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons
• National Democratic Coalition
• National Democratic Party
• National Democratic Party
• National Interest Party (Nigeria)
• National Party of Nigeria
• National Republican Convention
• National Rescue Movement NRM
• New Nigeria People's Party
• New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP
• Nigeria Advance Party
• Nigeria Democratic Congress NDC social democracy
• Nigeria Dominant Political party(NDPP)
• Nigerian Communist Party communism
• Nigerian National Democratic Party
• Nigerian People's Party
• Nigerian Youth Movement
• Northern Elements Progressive Union
• Northern People's Congress
• Peoples Democratic Party PDP economic liberalism; social conservatism Uche Secondus
• People's Redemption Party PRP social democracy Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa
• People's Union conservatism
• Progressive Governors Forum
• Progressive Peoples Alliance progressivism
• Q106315835
• Q23499551
• Social Democratic Party SDP populism; social democracy
• Socialist Party of Nigeria
• Socialist Workers and Farmers Party of Nigeria
• United Middle Belt Congress
• United Muslim Party
• United National Independence Party
• United Nigeria Congress Party
• United Nigeria People's Party
• Unity Party of Nigeria social democracy
• Young Progressive Party
• Zenith Labour Party ZLP Dan Nwanyanwu

Census, population and demographic documents the observatory has located for this country. These are links to the publishers’ own files — the library does not rehost them.

• Nigeria - Housing, slums and informal settlements — SDG_11-1-1_total_population_in_slums_and_informal_settlements_NGA (csv) hdx csv
• Nigeria - Housing, slums and informal settlements — SDG_11-1-1_proportion_of_urban_population_in_slums_and_informal_settlements_NGA (csv) hdx csv
• Nigeria - Housing, slums and informal settlements — SDG_11-1-1_total_population_in_slums_and_informal_settlements_NGA (xlsx) hdx xlsx
• Nigeria - Housing, slums and informal settlements — SDG_11-1-1_proportion_of_urban_population_in_slums_and_informal_settlements_NGA (xlsx) hdx xlsx
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — MDGs Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Birth Registration Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Child Mortality Rates Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — PMI/RBM Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — FP2020 Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Anthropometry Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — IYCF Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — MICS indicators Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — SDGs Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Access to Health Care Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — DHS Quickstats Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Anemia Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Population Statistics — nga_admpop_2020.xlsx hdx xlsx
• Nigeria - Subnational Population Statistics — nga_admpop_adm0_2022.csv hdx csv
• Nigeria - Subnational Population Statistics — nga_codps_qa_2023.pdf hdx pdf
• Nigeria - Subnational Population Statistics — nga_admgz.xlsx hdx xlsx
• Nigeria - Subnational Population Statistics — nga_admpop_2022.xlsx hdx xlsx
• Nigeria - Subnational Population Statistics — nga_admpop_adm1_2022.csv hdx csv
• Nigeria - National Demographic and Health Data — PMI/RBM Data for Nigeria hdx csv
• Nigeria - National Demographic and Health Data — SDGs Data for Nigeria hdx csv