The list of Igbo people includes notable individuals who have full or significant ancestry traced back to the Igbo people of South-East and South-South geopolitical regions of Nigeria.[1]
This page also contains names of people who traced their African heritage through DNA testing to the Igbo ethnic group.
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 November 1853 | 20 January 1904 | Quaker schoolteacher; the mother of Paul Robeson; and the wife of the Reverend William Drew Robeson[67] | ||
| 14 March 1937 | – | |||
| – | – | |||
| 1943 | – | |||
| 14 October 1963 | – | |||
| 6 November 1917 | 22 December 1974 | The first Nigerian Vice Chancellor | ||
| 19 February 1928 | 21 April 2017 | |||
| 1914 | 1995 | |||
| 17 December 1917 | 26 October 1983 | The pioneer Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos and University of Nigeria Nsukka | ||
| 9 May 1939 | 20 August 2003 | |||
| 7 June 1949 | – | |||
| Emeka Enejere | 8 August 1944 | The 14th Pro Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka | ||
| Zephrinus Chidubem Njoku | 15 May 1959 | |||
| Emmanuel Chinwokwu | - | Professor of New Testament Studies at University of Nigeria, Nsukka | ||
| Patrick Obi Ngoddy | Nigerian professor of Food Engineering and Processing at the Faculty of Agriculture | |||
| Sonny Chidebelu | Professor of Agribusiness | |||
| Sophia Obiajulu Ogwude | Professor of English and Comparative studies | |||
| Florence Orabueze | 30 March 1966 | – | Professor of English and literary studies | |
| Edith Nwosu | 22 March 1962 | – | Professor of Corporate Law | |
| Basil Ezeanolue | 17 November 1953 | – | Professor of Otorhinolaryngology | |
| Emenike Ejiogu | Professor of electrical and electronics engineering from University of Nigeria Nsukka | |||
| Ogbonna Oparaku | Professor of electronic engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka |
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 November 1937 | 9 March 2009 | Historian known for the history and historiography of Africa, more particularly Igbo history | |||
| 17 December 1917 | 26 October 1983 | ||||
| 2 November 1927 | 26 April 2014 |
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 January 1963 | 30 December 2007 |
| President of Universal Television, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal Television Group, first woman of African descent to head a major U.S. television studio | [68] [69] [70] | |||||
| 1909 | 1966 | Business mogul and father of Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, the former governor of the Eastern Region and leader of Biafra | ||||
| 1914 | 1995 | |||||
| 1872 | 1943 | Merchant queen of the River Niger | [71] | |||
| 1898 | ||||||
| 1926 | 1990 | |||||
| 4 November 1973 | Nigerian businesswoman, publisher, fashion designer and the Managing Director/CEO of St. Eve Concepts. | |||||
| Nigerian doctor, businessman, philanthropist and the founder of Las Vegas Pain Institute and Medical Center | ||||||
| Businessman and Philanthropist. The founder and Chairman and The Sir Emeka Of for Foundation of Chrome Group | ||||||
| Businessman and philanthropist | ||||||
| Businessman and philanthropist | ||||||
| Nigerian lawyer and corporate entrepreneur |
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | – | ||||
| 1943 | |||||
| 1951 | – | ||||
| 28 July 1976 | |||||
| 1933 | 2011 | ||||
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | – | Novelist, poet, political activist from Yola, Nigeria. He is the author of Arrows of Rain, a critically well-reviewed novel published in 2000. | ||
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nnamdi Azikiwe | 1904 | 1966 | 1st president of Nigeria | ||
| Kasim Reed | 57th Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, US (2010-2018) | ||||
| 3 November 1959 | Former Anambra State Commissioner for Works and Transport | ||||
| 17 October 1978 | – | ||||
| 3 March 1924 | 29 July 1966 | First military and second substantial Head of State of Nigeria | |||
| 25 November 1970 | First Black Member of the Polish Parliament in Polish history. Nigerian Senatorial Candidate. | ||||
| 14 July 1954 | 7 June 2014 | Former Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of Nigeria and current (since 17 December 2008) Nigerian Minister of Information and Communications. | |||
| 27 May 1965 | – | former Governor of Rivers State and current minister of transportation | |||
| 21 June 1984 | – | Commissioner for Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy in Anambra State | |||
| 24 December 1960 | – | Current Chief of Staff to Imo State Government | |||
| 14 July 1965 | – | Municipal Legislator Ostend City Council Belgium and former Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Europe | |||
| 18 January 1933 | – | ||||
| 16 November 1904 | 11 May 1996 | Nigeria's foremost President and the Owelle of Onitsha | |||
| 3 August 1832 | 7 February 1912 | Americo-Liberian educator, writer, diplomat, and politician in Liberia and Sierra Leone. | [74] | ||
| Academic and politician; former federal minister of transport and later minister of aviation; and former Nigeria's ambassador to Ireland | |||||
| 1932 | – | Renowned architect, lawyer, and politician. Formerly, vice-president of the 2nd federal republic of Nigeria (1979 - 1983) | |||
| Former Governor of Ebonyi State | |||||
| Dave Umahi | Current Governor of Ebonyi State | ||||
| 29 October 1935 | 2 August 2007 | ||||
| Educator; politician; former deputy governor (and briefly governor) of Anambra State. | |||||
| 29 November 1906 | December 1995 | Medical missionary who later became the first governor of the Eastern Region from 1960 to 1966. The Enugu International Airport is named after him. | |||
| 21 April 1950 | – | ||||
| 4 September 1942 | – | ||||
| 21 April 1960 | – | ||||
| 6 May 1945 | – | Former Federal Minister under Obasanjo and Yar'Adua administrations. | |||
| 1929 | 5 January 2004 | One of the chief former governors of Imo State. The international cargo airport in Owerri is named after him. | |||
| 8 August 1952 | – | ||||
| 1962 | Former Special Advisor to the President Goodluck Jonathan on Technical Matters | ||||
| 1956 | Senator who represents the People's Democratic Party in Abia State. | ||||
| 10 April 1959 | – | ||||
| 28 April 1963 | – | Former Vice President of the World Bank and Education Minister as well as a co-founder of Transparency International. | |||
| 19 July 1961 | – | Former Governor of Anambra State, the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Governors' Forum and the Chairman of the Southeast Governors' Forum. | |||
| 15 August 1948 | – | Former governor of Rivers State. | |||
| 4 November 1933 | 26 November 2011 | Military officer and politician who served as the military governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria in 1966 and the leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970. | |||
| Prince B.B Apugo | 5 November 1951 | Nigerian politician, philanthropist and businessman, one of the founding fathers of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and a current Board of Trustees Member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) | |||
| 13 June 1954 | – | Current Finance Minister and former Foreign Minister of Nigeria, notable for being the first woman to hold either of those positions. | |||
| 1943 | 1999 | ||||
| Governor of Delta State, fmr senator of Nigeria | |||||
| 8 October 1985 | – | ||||
| 18 February 1965 | Nigerian economist, banker, investor, philanthropist, and politician, serving as the current Governor of Abia State in Nigeria | ||||
| 11 November 1950 | – | Former governor of Abia State. | |||
| 29 June 1911 | 26 December 1994 | Nigerian politician, poet, journalist and former premier of the now defunct Mid-Western Region of Nigeria, which now comprises Edo and Delta State. | |||
| 3 February 1815 | 11 February 1872 | Fifth President of Liberia from 1870 to his overthrow and subsequent death in 1871. | [75] | ||
| 1948 | – | Former governor of Imo State. | |||
| 1918 | 1996 | ||||
| – |
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | 1966 | The first military head of state of Nigeria. He assumed power after the 1966 military coup that killed the then Prime Minister, Sir Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. After 6 months in power, he was killed in a counter coup led by his eventual successor, General Yakubu Gowon and General Theophilus Danjuma. | |||
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chigozie C. Asiabaka | 29 September 1953 | Agricultural scientist | ||
| 1954 | – | |||
| 6 January 1972 | Engineer, entrepreneur | |||
| 4 February 1983 | Scientist, Inventor | |||
| 9 May 1939 | 20 August 2003 | |||
| 7 April 1921 | 13 March 2008 | Mathematician | ||
| Ike Ferdinand Odimegwu | Philosopher | |||
| Josephat Obi Oguejiofor | Philosopher | |||
| Rita Orji | ||||
| 1929 | 25 June 1997 | Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Minister of Science and Technology, inventor | ||
| 12 October 1936 | 5 June 1990 | |||
| 1928 | 17 November 2006 | Cardiac surgeon, distinguished professor of surgery at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, and a pioneer of open-heart surgery in Africa | ||
| Walter Enwezor | 03 July 1936 | Agricultural scientist | ||
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 September 1970 | – | Canadian Football League tackle for the Montreal Alouettes. |
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 December 1970 | — | ||||
| 31 January 1975 | – | ||||
| 28 November 1958 | – | ||||
| 12 September 1987 | – | ||||
| 7 July 1973 | – | ||||
| 4 May 1975 | – | ||||
| 30 November 1961 | – | ||||
| 17 September 1976 | – | ||||
| 9 November 1969 | – | ||||
| 23 April 1988 | – | ||||
| 22 November 1971 | – | ||||
| 22 November 1971 | – | ||||
| 27 August 1963 | – | ||||
| 12 July 1988 | – | ||||
| 7 January 1981 | – | ||||
| 29 July 1983 | – | [81] | |||
| 22 November 1978 | – | ||||
| 24 March 1986 | – | ||||
| 17 May 1984 | – | MBE an English sprinter former World and Olympic Champion in the 400 metres | [82] [83] [84] | ||
| 13 November 1973 | – | ||||
| 23 September 1984 | – | [85] | |||
| 24 December 1971 | – | ||||
| 20 May 1972 | – | ||||
| 10 July 1979 | – | ||||
| 19 July 1973 | – |
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 November 1970 | – | Retired American-born English NBA basketball player who currently works as a broadcaster and political activist in the United Kingdom. | [86] | ||
| 10 February 1981 | – | ||||
| 6 December 1994 | – | Greek NBA player with the Milwaukee Bucks; NBA champion in the 2020-21 season. Igbo mother and Yoruba father. | align=center | [87] | |
| 16 December 1983 | – | ||||
| 18 July 1992 | – | ||||
| 20 November 1997 | – | ||||
| 11 September 1983 | – | [88] | |||
| 22 August 1975 | – | ||||
| 8 February 1981 | – | ||||
| 19 July 1985 | – | ||||
| 27 December 1973 | – | ||||
| 1 May 1971 | – | ||||
| 28 April 1986 | – | ||||
| 28 September 1982 | – | [89] | |||
| 1975 | – | ||||
| 9 August 1977 | – | ||||
| 16 June 1976 | – |
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 November 1971 | – | ||||
| 25 September 1982 | – | ||||
| 30 December 1980 | – | ||||
| 2 February 1973 | – | ||||
| 19 February 1974 | – | ||||
| Dick Tiger (alias Richard Ihetu) | 14 August 1929 | 14 December 1971 | Boxer from Amaigbo, Orlu, Nigeria, was a migrant fighter to Liverpool (and later to America). | [90] |
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 May 1964 | 12 August 1989 | |||
| 29 December 1978 | – | |||
| 13 March 1975 | – | |||
| 10 December 1974 | – | |||
| 6 May 1989 | – | |||
| 25 December 1970 | – | |||
| 10 May 1986 | – | |||
| 22 November 1976 | – | |||
| 10 May 1986 | – | |||
| 23 April 1988 | – | |||
| 21 August 1988 | – | |||
| 30 December 1986 | – | |||
| 3 May 1996 | - | |||
| 21 October 1986 | – | |||
| 20 February 1986 | – | |||
| 22 November 1976 | – | |||
| 10 June 1981 | – | |||
| 3 November 1972 | – | |||
| 17 December 1979 | – | |||
| 22 November 1984 | – | |||
| 1 August 1988 | – | |||
| 24 March 1984 | – | |||
| 8 May 1981 | – | |||
| 1 June 1984 | – | |||
| 10 May 1984 | – | |||
| 9 June 1981 | – | |||
| 30 October 1977 | – | |||
| 20 May 1988 | – | |||
| 3 April 1983 | – | |||
| 18 April 1984 | – | |||
| 23 March 1976 | – | |||
| 4 December 1979 | – | |||
| 1 August 1976 | – | Nwankwo Kanu (born 1 August 1976 in Owerri, Nigeria), usually known simply as Kanu and nicknamed Papilo, is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Nigerian national team and for English club Portsmouth. | [91] | |
| 14 February 1980 | – | |||
| 1962 | 2016 | Former Nigerian soccer team captain and coach, won the African Cup of Nations both as player and coach | ||
| 4 December 1959 | – | England-born Republic of Ireland international player. Irish mother and Igbo biological father. | ||
| 23 September 1985 | – | |||
| 9 August 1978 | – | |||
| 19 March 1982 | – | |||
| 28 February 1983 | – | |||
| 21 November 197 | – | |||
| 15 October 1984 | – | |||
| 14 June 1963 | – | |||
| 22 April 1987 | – | Won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea in 2012 | [92] | |
| 25 March 1987 | – | |||
| 1 June 1986 | – | |||
| 27 March 1983 | – | |||
| 4 January 1990 | – | |||
| 8 August 1967 | 6 January 2011 | |||
| 10 February 1991 | – | |||
| 27 September 1967 | – | |||
| 14 August 1973 | – | |||
| 8 October 1968 | – | |||
| 8 December 1992 | – | |||
| 27 April 1986 | – | |||
| 30 August 1977 | – | |||
| 13 May 1982 | – | |||
| 1 May 1978 | – | |||
| 1984 | – | |||
| – | ||||
| 3 June 1988 | ||||
| 12 November 1986 | ||||
| 28 July 1967 | – | |||
| 21 June 1975 | – | |||
| 25 June 1992 | – | |||
| 23 August 1985 | – | |||
| 13 May 1982 | – | [93] | ||
| 5 June 1997 | – | |||
| 15 October 1984 | – | |||
| 10 September 1992 | – | |||
| 5 January 1984 | – | |||
| 1987 | – | |||
| Former Nigerian football player, first African to lift the world cup | ||||
| 20 April 1988 | – | |||
| 20 June 1990 | – | |||
| 18 January 1984 | – | |||
| 19 July 1989 | – | |||
| 22 May 1999 | – | |||
| Carney Chukwuemeka | 20 October 2003 | _ |
| Name | Born | Death | Notability | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 December 1983 | – | Olympic silver medallist | |||
| 1 March 1980 | – | ||||
| 27 March 1974 | – | ||||
| 28 July 1974 | – |