Nigeria’s serving governors average 60 years of age as of March 2026

  • Nigeria’s youngest serving governor is Usman Ahmed Ododo of Kogi state at 48 years old.
  • The oldest serving governors are Bala Mohammed and Hope Uzodimma, both aged 67.
  • President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is 73 years old, making him older than every sitting governor.
  • Tinubu is 25 years older than the youngest governor and six years older than the oldest governors.
  • A number of governors are in their late 50s, including Seyi Makinde, Hyacinth Alia, and Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
  • The age distribution suggests that Nigeria’s state leadership is largely dominated by experienced, older political figures rather than younger politicians.

The age profile of Nigeria’s governors reveals a leadership class largely dominated by people in their late 50s and 60s. Across Nigeria’s 36 states, most governors fall within this range, suggesting that state leadership is concentrated among older political figures rather than younger politicians.

Forty-eight-year-old Usman Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State is the youngest serving governor, while the oldest — Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Hope Uzodinma of Imo — are 67.

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March 2026
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