View source for List of Nigerian heads of state by age

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
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 [[1966 Nigerian counter-coup|July 1966 counter-coup]].<ref>{{cite web|title=I felt petrified when I emerged Head of State – Gowon|url=https://guardian.ng/news/i-felt-petrified-when-i-emerged-head-of-state-gowon/ |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=2 October 2020}}</ref> The youngest civilian head of state to assume the presidency was [[Goodluck Jonathan]], who at the age of 52, [[Nigerian presidential line of succession|succeeded to the office]] after the death of [[Umaru Musa Yar'Adua]], he was also the youngest person [[2011 Nigerian presidential election|elected]] to the office at the age of 53. The youngest to become head of state by election was [[Shehu Shagari]], who was [[Nigerian presidential inauguration|inaugurated]] at age 54. The oldest person to assume the presidency was [[Muhammadu Buhari]] who was [[First Inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari|inaugurated]] at age 72.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nigeria's President Buhari promises change at inauguration|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32927311.amp|publisher=BBC News|access-date=29 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Historic succession complete as Buhari is sworn in as the president of Nigeria|url=https://theguardian.com/world/2015/may/29/historic-succession-complete-buhari-sworn-in-nigerian-president|publisher=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=29 May 2015}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|title=50 Interesting Facts about Murtala Muhammed|url=https://www.thehistoryville.com/murtala-muhammed-interesting-facts/|publisher=HistoryVille|access-date=13 February 2019}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Historic succession complete as Buhari is sworn in as the president of Nigeria|url=https://theguardian.com/world/2015/may/29/historic-succession-complete-buhari-sworn-in-nigerian-president|publisher=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=29 May 2015}}</ref>
Buhari's second retirement, now {{ayd|2023|05|29}}, is currently the shortest, [[Yakubu Gowon]]'s retirement, now {{age|1975|07|29}} years, is the longest in Nigeria's history. At age {{age|1934|10|19}}, 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ex-President Shehu Shagari dies at 93|url=https://punchng.com/breaking-ex-president-shehu-shagari-is-dead/%3famp|publisher=Punch News|access-date=28 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Shehu Shagari, Nigerian President During ’80s Oil Crisis, Dies at 93
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/29/obituaries/shehu-shagari-dead.amp.html|publisher=The New York Times|access-date=28 December 2018}}</ref> 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 {{age|1957|11|20}}.
==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.
{| class="wikitable"
! Name
! Date of birth
! Date of death
! Date and age at assuming office
|-
| [[Yakubu Gowon]]
| 19 October 1934
| ''(living)''
| {{death date and age|1966|08|01|1934|10|19|df=y}}
|-
| [[Murtala Muhammed]]
| 8 November 1938
| 13 February 1976
| {{death date and age|1975|07|29|1938|11|08|df=y}}
|-
| [[Olusegun Obasanjo]]
| 5 March 1937
| ''(living)''
| {{death date and age|1976|02|13|1937|03|05|df=y}}
|-
| [[Muhammadu Buhari]]
| 17 December 1942
| ''(living)''
| {{death date and age|1983|12|31|1942|12|17|df=y}}
|-
| [[Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi]]
| 3 March 1924
| 29 July 1966
| {{death date and age|1966|01|16|1924|03|03|df=y}}
|-
| [[Ibrahim Babangida]]
| 17 August 1941
| ''(living)''
| {{death date and age|1985|08|27|1941|08|17|df=y}}
|-
| [[Sani Abacha]]
| 20 September 1943
| 8 June 1998
| {{death date and age|1993|11|17|1943|09|20|df=y}}
|-
| [[Goodluck Jonathan]]
| 20 November 1957
| ''(living)''
| {{death date and age|2010|05|06|1957|11|20|df=y}}
|-
| [[Shehu Shagari]]
| 25 February 1925
| 28 December 2018
| {{death date and age|1979|10|01|1925|02|25|df=y}}
|-
| [[Umaru Musa Yar'Adua]]
| 16 August 1951
| 5 May 2010
| {{death date and age|2007|05|29|1951|08|16|df=y}}
|-
| [[Abdulsalami Abubakar]]
| 13 June 1942
| ''(living)''
| {{death date and age|1998|06|08|1942|06|13|df=y}}
|-
| [[Ernest Shonekan]]
| 9 May 1936
| 11 January 2022
| {{death date and age|1993|08|26|1936|05|09|df=y}}
|-
| [[Nnamdi Azikiwe]]
| 16 November 1904
| 11 May 1996
| {{death date and age|1963|10|01|1904|11|16|df=y}}
|-
| [[Olusegun Obasanjo]]
| 5 March 1937
| ''(living)''
| {{death date and age|1999|05|29|1937|03|05|df=y}}
|-
| [[Bola Tinubu]]
| 29 March 1952
| ''(living)''
| {{death date and age|2023|05|29|1952|03|29|df=y}}
|-
| [[Muhammadu Buhari]]
| 17 December 1942
| ''(living)''
| {{death date and age|2015|05|29|1942|12|17|df=y}}
|}
==List of heads of state by longevity==
This table shows heads of state by their longevity (living heads of state in gold).
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Rank<br />
! Head of state<br />
! Date of birth<br />
! Date of death<br />
! Longevity<br />(Years, Days)
! Longevity<br />(Days)
|-
| 1 || {{sortname|Shehu|Shagari}} || {{dts|25 February 1925}} || {{dts|28 December 2018}} || {{ayd|1925|02|25|2018|12|28}} || {{formatnum:{{age in days|1925|02|25|2018|12|28}}}} days
|-
| 2 || {{sortname|Nnamdi|Azikiwe}} || {{dts|16 November 1904}} ||{{dts|11 May 1996}} || {{ayd|1904|11|16|1996|05|11}} || {{formatnum:{{age in days|1904|11|16|1996|05|11}}}} days
|-
|style="background-color:gold;"| '''3''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{sortname|Yakubu|Gowon}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{dts|19 October 1934}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''Living''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{ayd|1934|10|19}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1934|10|19}}}} days'''
|-
|style="background-color:gold;"| '''4''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{sortname|Olusegun|Obasanjo}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{dts|5 March 1937}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''Living''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{ayd|1937|03|05}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1937|03|05}}}} days'''
|-
| 5 || {{sortname|Ernest|Shonekan}} || {{dts|9 May 1936}} ||{{dts|11 January 2022}} || {{ayd|1936|05|09|2022|01|11}} || {{formatnum:{{age in days|1936|05|09|2022|01|11}}}} days
|-
|style="background-color:gold;"| '''6''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{sortname|Ibrahim|Babangida}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{dts|17 August 1941}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''Living''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{ayd|1941|08|17}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1941|08|17}}}} days'''
|-
|style="background-color:gold;"| '''7''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{sortname|Abdulsalami|Abubakar}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{dts|13 June 1942}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''Living''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{ayd|1942|06|13}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1942|06|13}}}} days'''
|-
|style="background-color:gold;"| '''8''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{sortname|Muhammadu|Buhari}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{dts|17 December 1942}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''Living''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{ayd|1942|12|17}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1942|12|17}}}} days'''
|-
|style="background-color:gold;"| '''9''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{sortname|Bola|Tinubu}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{dts|29 March 1952}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''Living''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{ayd|1952|03|29}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1952|03|29}}}} days'''
|-
|style="background-color:gold;"| '''10''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{sortname|Goodluck|Jonathan}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{dts|20 November 1957}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''Living''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{ayd|1957|11|20}}''' ||style="background-color:gold;"| '''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1957|11|20}}}} days'''
|-
| 11 || {{sortname|Umaru|Musa Yar'Adua}} || {{dts|16 August 1951 }} || {{dts|5 May 2010}} || {{ayd|1951|08|16|2010|05|05}} || {{formatnum:{{age in days|1951|08|16|2010|05|05}}}} days
|-
| 12 || {{sortname|Sani|Abacha}} || {{dts|20 September 1943}} || {{dts|8 June 1998}} || {{ayd|1943|09|20|1998|06|08}} || {{formatnum:{{age in days|1943|09|20|1998|06|08}}}} days
|-
| 13 || {{sortname|Johnson|Aguiyi-Ironsi}} || {{dts|3 March 1924}} || {{dts|29 July 1966}} || {{ayd|1924|03|03|1966|07|29}} || {{formatnum:{{age in days|1924|03|03|1966|07|29}}}} days
|-
| 14 || {{sortname|Murtala|Muhammed}} || {{dts|8 November 1938}} ||{{dts|13 February 1976}} || {{ayd|1938|11|08|1976|02|13}} || {{formatnum:{{age in days|1938|11|08|1976|02|13}}}} days
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
![[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 [[Nigerian presidential inauguration|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 {{TODAY}}.
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!align="center"| #<br />
!align="center"| Head of state<br />
!align="center"| Date of birth<br />
!align="center" class="unsortable" valign="top"| Date of <br />assuming office
!align="center"| Age at <br />assuming office<br />
!align="center" class="unsortable" valign="top"| End of<br />term
!align="center"| Age at <br />end of<br />term
!align="center"| Length of<br />retirement<br />
!align="center"| Date of death<br />
!align="center"| Lifespan<br />
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 1
| {{sortname|Nnamdi|Azikiwe}}
| {{dts|16 November 1904}}
| {{Start date|1963|10|01|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1904|11|16|1963|10|01}}
| {{End date|1966|01|16|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1904|11|16|1966|01|16}}
| {{ayd|1966|01|16|1996|05|11}}
| {{dts|11 May 1996}}
| {{formatnum:{{age in days|1904|11|16|1996|05|11}}}} days ({{ayd|1904|11|16|1996|05|11}})
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 2
| {{sortname|Johnson|Aguiyi-Ironsi}}
| {{dts|3 March 1924}}
| {{Start date|1966|01|16|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1924|03|03|1966|01|16}}
| {{End date|1966|07|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1924|03|03|1966|07|29}}
| <span style="display:none">00,001</span>0 days{{efn|name=died|Died in office}}
| {{dts|29 July 1966}}
| {{formatnum:{{age in days|1924|03|03|1966|07|29}}}} days ({{ayd|1924|03|03|1966|07|29}})
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 3
| {{sortname|Yakubu|Gowon}}
| {{dts|19 October 1934}}
| {{Start date|1966|08|01|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1934|10|19|1966|08|01}}
| {{End date|1975|07|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1934|10|19|1975|07|29}}
| ''{{ayd|1975|07|29}}''
| ''(living)''
| ''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1934|10|19}}}} days ({{ayd|1934|10|19}})''
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 4
| {{sortname|Murtala|Muhammed}}
| {{dts|8 November 1938}}
| {{Start date|1975|07|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1938|11|08|1975|07|29}}
| {{End date|1976|02|13|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1938|11|08|1976|02|13}}
| <span style="display:none">00,001</span>0 days{{efn|name=died|Died in office}}
| {{dts|13 February 1976}}
| {{formatnum:{{age in days|1938|11|08|1976|02|13}}}} days ({{ayd|1938|11|08|1976|02|13}})
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 5
| {{sortname|Olusegun|Obasanjo}}
| {{dts|5 March 1937}}
| {{Start date|1976|02|13|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1937|03|05|1976|02|13}}
| {{End date|1979|10|01|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1937|03|05|1979|10|01}}
| {{ayd|1979|10|01|1999|05|29}}{{efn|name=Obasanjo 1|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.}}
| ''(living)''
| ''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1937|03|05}}}} days ({{ayd|1937|03|05}})''
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 6
| {{sortname|Shehu|Shagari}}
| {{dts|25 February 1925}}
| {{Start date|1979|10|01|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1925|02|25|1979|10|01}}
| {{End date|1983|12|31|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1925|02|25|1983|12|31}}
| {{ayd|1983|12|31|2018|12|28}}
| {{dts|28 December 2018}}
| {{formatnum:{{age in days|1925|02|25|2018|12|28}}}} days ({{ayd|1925|02|25|2018|12|28}})
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 7
| {{sortname|Muhammadu|Buhari}}
| {{dts|17 December 1942}}
| {{Start date|1983|12|31|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1942|12|17|1983|12|31}}
| {{End date|1985|08|27|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1942|12|17|1985|08|27}}
| {{ayd|1985|08|27|2015|05|29}}{{efn|name=Buhari 1|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.}}
| ''(living)''
| ''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1942|12|17}}}} days ({{ayd|1942|12|17}})''
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 8
| {{sortname|Ibrahim|Babangida}}
| {{dts|17 August 1941}}
| {{Start date|1985|08|27|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1941|08|17|1985|08|27}}
| {{End date|1993|08|26|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1941|08|17|1993|08|26}}
| ''{{ayd|1993|08|26}}''
| ''(living)''
| ''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1941|08|17}}}} days ({{ayd|1941|08|17}})''
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 9
| {{sortname|Ernest|Shonekan}}
| {{dts|9 May 1936}}
| {{Start date|1993|08|26|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1936|05|09|1993|08|26}}
| {{End date|1993|11|17|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1936|05|09|1993|11|17}}
| {{ayd|1993|11|17|2022|01|11}}
| {{dts|11 January 2022}}
| {{formatnum:{{age in days|1936|05|09|2022|01|11}}}} days ({{ayd|1936|05|09|2022|01|11}})
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 10
| {{sortname|Sani|Abacha}}
| {{dts|20 September 1943}}
| {{Start date|1993|11|17|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1943|09|20|1993|11|17}}
| {{End date|1998|06|08|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1943|09|20|1998|06|08}}
| <span style="display:none">00,001</span>0 days{{efn|name=died|Died in office}}
| {{dts|8 June 1998}}
| {{formatnum:{{age in days|1943|09|20|1998|06|08}}}} days ({{ayd|1943|09|20|1998|06|08}})
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 11
| {{sortname|Abdulsalami|Abubakar}}
| {{dts|13 June 1942}}
| {{Start date|1998|06|08|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1942|06|13|1998|06|08}}
| {{End date|1999|05|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1942|06|13|1999|05|29}}
| ''{{ayd|1999|05|29}}''
| ''(living)''
| ''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1942|06|13}}}} days ({{ayd|1942|06|13}})''
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 12
| {{sortname|Olusegun|Obasanjo}}
| {{dts|5 March 1937}}
| {{Start date|1999|05|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1937|03|05|1999|05|29}}
| {{End date|2007|05|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1937|03|05|2007|05|29}}
| ''{{ayd|2007|05|29}}''{{efn|name=Obasanjo 2|Obasanjo was head of state for two non-consecutive periods; this is his post-presidential retirement, after his second period in office (1999–2007).}}
| ''(living)''
| ''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1937|03|05}}}} days ({{ayd|1937|03|05}})''
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 13
| {{sortname|Umaru|Musa Yar'Adua}}
| {{dts|16 August 1951}}
| {{Start date|2007|05|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1951|08|16|2007|05|29}}
| {{End date|2010|05|05|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1951|08|16|2010|05|05}}
| <span style="display:none">00,001</span>0 days{{efn|name=died|Died in office}}
| {{dts|5 May 2010}}
| {{formatnum:{{age in days|1951|08|16|2010|05|05}}}} days ({{ayd|1951|08|16|2010|05|05}})
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 14
| {{sortname|Goodluck|Jonathan}}
| {{dts|20 November 1957}}
| {{Start date|2010|05|06|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1957|11|20|2010|05|06}}
| {{End date|2015|05|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1957|11|20|2015|05|29}}
| ''{{ayd|2015|05|29}}''
| ''(living)''
| ''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1957|11|20}}}} days ({{ayd|1957|11|20}})''
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 15
| {{sortname|Muhammadu|Buhari}}
| {{dts|17 December 1942}}
| {{Start date|2015|05|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1942|12|17|2015|05|29}}
| {{End date|2023|05|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1942|12|17|2023|05|29}}
| ''{{ayd|2023|05|29}}''{{efn|name=Buhari 2|Buhari was head of state for two non-consecutive periods; this is his post-presidential retirement, after his second period in office (2015–2023).}}
| ''(living)''
| ''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1942|12|17}}}} days ({{ayd|1942|12|17}})''
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
| 16
| {{sortname|Bola|Tinubu}}
| {{dts|29 March 1952}}
| {{Start date|2023|05|29|df=y}}
| {{ayd|1952|03|29|2023|05|29}}
| ''(incumbent)''
| ''(incumbent)''
| ''(incumbent)''
| ''(living)''
| ''{{formatnum:{{age in days|1952|03|29}}}} days ({{ayd|1952|03|29}})''
|- style="text-align: left; background:#FFFFFF"
|- class="sortbottom" style="text-align:left"
!align="center"| #
!align="center"| Head of state
!align="center"| Date of birth
!align="center"| Date of<br />assuming office
!align="center"| Age at<br />assuming office
!align="center"| End of<br />term
!align="center"| Age at <br />end of<br />term
!align="center"| Length of<br />retirement
!align="center"| Date of death
!align="center"| Lifespan
|}
===Notes===
{{notelist}}
{{anchor|oldest}}
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
[[Category:Lists of Nigerian politicians]]
[[Category:Lists of political office-holders by age|Nigeria, Presidents]]