List of Nigerian heads of state by age explained

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.[1] 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.[2] [3]

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.[4] 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.[5]

Buhari's second retirement, now, is currently the shortest, Yakubu Gowon's retirement, now years, is the longest in Nigeria's history. At age, 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.[6] [7] Only two heads of state (Shehu Shagari and Nnamdi Azikiwe) have lived into their 90s. The youngest living head of state is Goodluck Jonathan, age .

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.

NameDate of birthDate of deathDate and age at assuming office
Yakubu Gowon19 October 1934(living)
Murtala Muhammed8 November 193813 February 1976
Olusegun Obasanjo5 March 1937(living)
Muhammadu Buhari17 December 1942(living)
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi3 March 192429 July 1966
Ibrahim Babangida17 August 1941(living)
Sani Abacha20 September 19438 June 1998
Goodluck Jonathan20 November 1957(living)
Shehu Shagari25 February 192528 December 2018
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua16 August 19515 May 2010
Abdulsalami Abubakar13 June 1942(living)
Ernest Shonekan9 May 193611 January 2022
Nnamdi Azikiwe16 November 190411 May 1996
Olusegun Obasanjo5 March 1937(living)
Bola Tinubu29 March 1952(living)
Muhammadu Buhari17 December 1942(living)

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 days
2 days
3 Living days
4 Living days
5 days
6 Living days
7 Living days
8 Living days
9 Living days
10 Living days
11 days
12 days
13 days
14 days
List of heads of state of Nigeria14
Living7
Deceased7

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 .


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 days
200,0010 days days
3(living) days
400,0010 days days
5(living) days
6 days
7(living) days
8(living) days
9 days
1000,0010 days days
11(living) days
12(living) days
1300,0010 days days
14(living) days
15(living) days
16(incumbent)(incumbent)(incumbent)(living) days
Head of stateDate of birthDate of
assuming office
Age at
assuming office
End of
term
Age at
end of
term
Length of
retirement
Date of deathLifespan

Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: I felt petrified when I emerged Head of State – Gowon. . 2 October 2020.
  2. Web site: Nigeria's President Buhari promises change at inauguration. BBC News. 29 May 2015.
  3. Web site: Historic succession complete as Buhari is sworn in as the president of Nigeria. . 29 May 2015.
  4. Web site: 50 Interesting Facts about Murtala Muhammed. HistoryVille. 13 February 2019.
  5. Web site: Historic succession complete as Buhari is sworn in as the president of Nigeria. . 29 May 2015.
  6. Web site: Ex-President Shehu Shagari dies at 93. Punch News. 28 December 2018.
  7. Web site: Shehu Shagari, Nigerian President During ’80s Oil Crisis, Dies at 93. The New York Times. 28 December 2018.