Who is in the race to run Nigeria?
Learn more about Nigeria’s presidential candidates
Choose a candidate to view their bio
Bola Tinubu
All Progressives Congress (APC)
- Age: 70
- Studied accounting at the Chicago State University
- Two-term Lagos state governor from 1999-2007
- Member of the Senate from 1992 to 1993
- First presidential bid for the veteran of Nigerian politics
- Campaigned against military rule
- Grew Lagos state's annual revenue by more than four times
- Worked in top positions at Mobil Producing Nigeria, one of the country's largest oil producers
- Boost exports and reduce reliance on imports
- Halve youth unemployment within four years
- Reform the justice system and improve trust in the security forces
Atiku Abubakar
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
- Age: 76
- Nigeria's vice-president from 1999-2007
- Holds international relations master's degree from the UK's Anglia Ruskin University
- Former customs officer who entered politics in the early 1980s
- Made five unsuccessful presidential bids
- Helped found the American University of Nigeria, which offered scholarships to freed Chibok girls
- Successful businessman with investments in oil services, agriculture, banking and pharmaceutical sectors
- Oversaw controversial privatisations of government assets
- Give the private sector a greater role in the economy.
- Reinforce national unity through equity and social justice among Nigeria's diverse peoples
- Restructure Nigeria's governance system
Peter Obi
Labour Party (LP)
- Age: 60
- Two-term governor of Anambra state from 2007-2014
- Unsuccessful presidential running mate in last election
- Studied philosophy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka
- Eastablished a fund worth about $156m by the end of his tenure as governor
- Moved Anambra from 26th to 1st in the ranking of best-performing states in national examinations
- Owned a chain of retail businesses that has created thousands of jobs
- Ensure accountability in governance and fight corruption
- Move Nigeria's ecoomy from consumption to production
- Prioritise skills development through investment in areas such as science and education
Rabiu Kwankwaso
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
- Age: 66
- Defence minister from 2003-2007
- Kano state governor from 1999-2003 and 2011-2015
- Served in both the House of Representatives and Senate
- Holds PhD in civil engineering from Sharda University, India
- Runs a foundation offering scholarships to students
- Increased the state's primary school enrolment figures from one million in 2011 to over three million in 2015 when he left office
- Introduced free school meals and uniforms for primary school pupils
- Established Kano's first two state universities
- Create jobs through investment in agriculture
- Address insecurity
- Respect the rule of law and follow due process