Governors of Nigerian States

Nigeria has 36 state governors, one for each of the country's 36 states. The Federal Capital Territory is not a state and has no governor, so the figure is 36 and not 37. Each governor is the chief executive of their state, heads the state executive council and appoints commissioners, subject to confirmation by the state House of Assembly.

The APC holds the most state governorships, with 31 of the 36 governors as of July 28, 2026. The full breakdown is APC 31, LP 1, APGA 1, APM 1, Accord 1, PDP 1. Party strength at state level shifts between elections because serving governors sometimes defect, so this page is re-checked against the record each time the directory is updated.

5 states are governed by a party other than the APC: Abia (Alex Otti, LP); Anambra (Charles Soludo, APGA); Bauchi (Bala Mohammed, APM); Osun (Ademola Adeleke, Accord); Oyo (Seyi Makinde, PDP).

No. The Federal Capital Territory has no governor because it is not a state. Abuja and the wider territory are administered by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, a federal cabinet appointment made by the President, rather than by an elected governor. The FCT does elect representatives to the National Assembly, and it has one senator. See the Federal Capital Territory profile for its area councils and other details.

A governor serves a four-year term and may be re-elected only once, giving a maximum of eight years in office. Governors are elected directly by voters in their state. To win outright a candidate must poll the highest number of votes and also secure at least one quarter of the votes cast in at least two thirds of the local government areas of the state; if no candidate meets both conditions, a run-off is held. A candidate must be at least 35 years old, a Nigerian citizen by birth and sponsored by a registered political party.

Yes. A governor can be removed by impeachment: the state House of Assembly must allege gross misconduct in writing, a panel appointed by the state's Chief Judge investigates, and at least two thirds of all members of the House must then vote to remove. A governor can also be removed on medical grounds if a panel finds them incapable of discharging the duties of office. If a governor dies, resigns or is removed, the deputy governor is sworn in for the remainder of the term.