| S/N | Names | Years in Power | Source of power |
| 1 | Chief Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe | October 1, 1963 - January 16, 1966 | Named the First president of Nigeria to colonial Monarch Queen Elizabeth 11 |
| 2 | Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi | January 16, 1966 - July 29, 1966 | Came in through military rule after the bloody military coup d’état of 1966 which overthrew the First Republic (the republican government of Nigeria from 1963-1966) |
| 3 | General Yakubu Gowon | August 1, 1966 - July 29, 1975 | Came in through military rule after assassination of Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi |
| 4 | General Murtala Ramat Mohammed | July 29, 1975 - February 13, 1976 | Came in through military rule after the deposition of General Yakubu Gowon |
| 5 | General Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Matthew Obasanjo | February 13, 1976 - October 1, 1979 | Came in through military rule after assassination Murtala Ramat Mohammed |
| 6 | Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari | October 1, 1979 - December 31, 1983 | The first democratically elected president of Nigeria, after the transfer of power by the military head of states (general Olusegun Obasanjo) in 1979, giving rise to the Second Nigerian Republic |
| 7 | Major-General Muhammadu Buhari | December 31, 1983 - August 27, 1985 | Came in through military rule which overthrew the Second Nigerian Republic |
| 8 | General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida | August 27, 1985 - August 27, 1993 | Came in through military rule after the deposition of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari |
| 9 | Chief Ernest Adekunle Oladeinde Shonekan | August 26, 1993 - November 17, 1993 | Handed over power by General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida following the crisis of the Third Republic (A planned Third Republican government of Nigeria) |
| 10 | General Sani Abacha | November 17, 1993 - June 8, 1998 | Came in through a bloodless military coup which forced Chief Ernest Adekunle Oladeinde Shonekan to resign position |
| 11 | General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar | June 9, 1998 - May 29, 1999 | Came in through military succession of General Sani Abacha upon death |
| 12 | General Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Matthew Obasanjo (Rtd) | May 29, 1999 - 29 May, 2007 | Democratically elected as president |
| 13 | Umaru Musa Yar’adua | 29 May, 2007 - 5 May, 2010 | Democratically elected as president |
| 14 | Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan | 6 May, 2010 - 29 May, 2015 | Democratically elected as president |
| 15 | Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) | 29 May, 2015 - Till Date | Democratically elected as president |