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Most Famous People from Nigeria

All 152,953
Nigeria 446
1,590 CA Chinua Achebe Chinua Achebe Nigerian Novelist 1930–2013
2,914 WS Wole Soyinka Wole Soyinka Nigerian Playwright b. 1934
3,894 CN Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Nigerian Writer b. 1977
10,327 KS Ken Saro-Wiwa Ken Saro-Wiwa Nigerian Writer 1941–1995
12,501 HO Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Olajuwon Nigerian Basket b. 1963
13,849 NA Nnamdi Azikiwe Nnamdi Azikiwe Nigerian Statesman 1904–1996
14,671 JO John Obi Mikel John Obi Mikel Nigerian Football b. 1987
17,418 PO Peter Odemwingie Nigerian Football b. 1981
19,170 BO Ben Okri Nigerian Writer b. 1959
20,389 GJ Goodluck Jonathan Goodluck Jonathan Nigerian Politician b. 1957
21,260 MB Muhammadu Buhari Muhammadu Buhari Nigerian Politician b. 1942
21,998 SA Sani Abacha Nigerian Army 1943–1998
23,861 YG Yakubu Gowon Yakubu Gowon Nigerian Lieutenant b. 1934
24,747 RY Rashidi Yekini Nigerian Football 1963–2012
25,397 EE Elderson Echiéjilé Nigerian Football b. 1988
25,915 NO Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Nigerian Minister b. 1954
26,356 NK Nwankwo Kanu Nwankwo Kanu Nigerian Football b. 1976
27,220 SA Shola Ameobi Shola Ameobi Nigerian Football b. 1981
28,018 SS Shehu Shagari Shehu Shagari Nigerian Politician 1925–2018
29,143 HK Hakeem Kae-Kazim Nigerian Actor b. 1962
29,417 FA Francis Arinze Francis Arinze Nigerian Cardinal b. 1932
29,565 UM Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Nigerian Politician 1951–2010
30,098 IU Ikechukwu Uche Ikechukwu Uche Nigerian Football b. 1984
30,642 CO C. Odumegwu Ojukwu C. Odumegwu Ojukwu Nigerian Politician 1933–2011
36,180 KS King Sunny Adé King Sunny Adé Nigerian Singer b. 1946
37,464 AT Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Nigerian Politician 1912–1966
37,578 BO Bartholomew Ogbeche Bartholomew Ogbeche Nigerian Football b. 1984
38,301 BO Babatunde Olatunji Nigerian Music 1927–2003
38,575 OA Obafemi Awolowo Obafemi Awolowo Nigerian Politician 1909–1987
42,407 N( Nneka (singer) Nigerian Songwriter b. 1981
43,013 SA Samuel Ajayi Crowther Samuel Ajayi Crowther Nigerian Priest 1809–1891
45,981 SO Sunday Oliseh Nigerian Football b. 1974
46,217 CA Chris Abani Chris Abani Nigerian Writer b. 1966
48,918 OE Okwui Enwezor Okwui Enwezor Nigerian Curator 1963–2019
51,747 BO Blessing Okagbare Blessing Okagbare Nigerian Sprint b. 1988
53,673 FN Flora Nwapa Flora Nwapa Nigerian Novelist 1931–1993
55,544 NI Nosa Igiebor Nosa Igiebor Nigerian Football b. 1990
59,991 GO Godfrey Oboabona Godfrey Oboabona Nigerian Football b. 1990
64,975 SA Shehu Abdullahi Shehu Abdullahi Nigerian Football b. 1993
67,878 MB Michael Babatunde Michael Babatunde Nigerian Football b. 1993
69,410 JA Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi Nigerian Militar 1924–1966
70,034 DT Dick Tiger Dick Tiger Nigerian Boxer 1929–1971
81,059 BB Biyi Bandele Biyi Bandele Nigerian Writer b. 1967
82,256 IE Ikechukwu Ezenwa Nigerian Football b. 1988
87,567 TA Taiwo Awoniyi Taiwo Awoniyi Nigerian Football b. 1997
98,525 JP J. P. Clark J. P. Clark Nigerian Poet 1935–2020
102,730 RA Rabiu Afolabi Rabiu Afolabi Nigerian Football b. 1980
105,081 HH Helon Habila Helon Habila Nigerian Poet b. 1967
107,125 AG Alhaji Gero Alhaji Gero Nigerian Football b. 1993
112,196 AE Azubuike Egwuekwe Azubuike Egwuekwe Nigerian Football b. 1989
112,864 DA Daniel Akpeyi Daniel Akpeyi Nigerian Football b. 1986
113,115 FU Francis Uzoho Francis Uzoho Nigerian Football b. 1998
119,718 AO Asisat Oshoala Asisat Oshoala Nigerian Football b. 1994
122,976 PN Prince Nico Mbarga Nigerian Music 1950–1997
126,047 JO John Onaiyekan John Onaiyekan Nigerian Prelate b. 1944
127,762 MO Mary Onyali-Omagbemi Mary Onyali-Omagbemi Nigerian Athletic b. 1968
129,512 AA Atiku Abubakar Atiku Abubakar Nigerian Politician b. 1946
132,844 SA Sunday Adelaja Sunday Adelaja Nigerian Pastor b. 1967
136,493 TM T. M. Aluko Nigerian Writer 1918–2010
136,593 EC Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze Nigerian Philosopher 1963–2007
139,517 GA Glory Alozie Nigerian Athletic b. 1977
141,732 TS Tiwa Savage Tiwa Savage Nigerian Singer b. 1980
142,424 NA Nana Asma’u Nana Asma’u Nigerian Author 1793–1864
156,385 EO Ebenezer Obey Ebenezer Obey Nigerian Music b. 1942
159,027 TF Teslim Fatusi Nigerian Football b. 1977
161,120 CA Chigozie Agbim Nigerian Football b. 1984
161,895 SA Samuel Akintola Samuel Akintola Nigerian Politician 1910–1966
166,627 OO Oludamola Osayomi Oludamola Osayomi Nigerian Sprint b. 1986
169,049 ME Margaret Ekpo Margaret Ekpo Nigerian Politician 1914–2006
173,288 ZA Zaynab Alkali Nigerian Author b. 1950
174,791 GT George Taubman Goldie George Taubman Goldie Nigerian Engineer 1846–1925
177,555 FO Francisca Ordega Nigerian Football b. 1993
178,018 EA Emeka Anyaoku Emeka Anyaoku Nigerian Diplomat b. 1933
178,088 AO Azubuike Okechukwu Azubuike Okechukwu Nigerian Football b. 1997
179,802 CU Cynthia Uwak Nigerian Football b. 1986
180,629 RC Rita Chikwelu Rita Chikwelu Nigerian Football b. 1988
184,909 HI Hauwa Ibrahim Hauwa Ibrahim Nigerian Lawyer b. 1968
187,664 SD Sokari Douglas Camp Nigerian Artist b. 1958
187,998 EE Emem Eduok Nigerian Football b. 1994
190,455 MB Muhammed Bello Muhammed Bello Nigerian Sultan 1781–1837
190,478 DO Daniel O. Fagunwa Nigerian Writer 1903–1963
191,693 FO Femi Osofisan Femi Osofisan Nigerian Author b. 1946
192,377 BK Blessing Kaku Nigerian Football b. 1978
194,108 NR Nuhu Ribadu Nuhu Ribadu Nigerian Police b. 1960
194,933 SO Samuel Okwaraji Nigerian Football 1964–1989
195,020 JN Joseph Nanven Garba Joseph Nanven Garba Nigerian Government 1943–2002
200,266 CC Charles Chukwuma Soludo Nigerian Economist b. 1960
203,315 AI Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme Nigerian Politician 1932–2017
204,278 MM Muhammadu Maccido Nigerian Sovereign 1926–2006
209,989 JF J. F. Ade Ajayi Nigerian Historian 1929–2014
211,902 KA Kunle Afolayan Kunle Afolayan Nigerian Film b. 1974
217,696 CO Chuba Okadigbo Nigerian Politician 1941–2003
219,153 RK Rabiu Kwankwaso Rabiu Kwankwaso Nigerian Politician b. 1956
220,279 CA Chris Anyanwu Chris Anyanwu Nigerian Journalist b. 1951
220,998 AM Ahmed Makarfi Nigerian Politician b. 1956
224,332 CA Claude Ake Claude Ake Nigerian Academic 1939–1996
225,666 IE Isah Eliakwu Isah Eliakwu Nigerian Football b. 1985
225,822 AG Abubakar Gumi Abubakar Gumi Nigerian Scholar 1922–1992
234,300 PS Peter Suswam Peter Suswam Nigerian Football b. 1991
234,621 JO Julius Onah Nigerian Film b. 1983
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside Nigeria

446 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Nigeria during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in Nigeria peaked in the 1940s with 75 people.

What Nigeria Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Politics & Law is Nigeria's biggest group — 38% of all notables (169).

Nigeria over-indexes on politics & law — 1.8× the global rate.

Nigeria under-produces religion — only 0.6× the global rate.

  1. Politics & Law169
  2. Sports90
  3. Writing42
  4. Science28
  5. Film & TV26
  6. Music23
  7. Military21
  8. Other19
  1. Politics & Law1691.8×
  1. Religion130.6×
  2. Other190.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Nigeria's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Music
  • Film & TV
  • Other

Datelines

The biggest birthplaces of fame — every city is a doorway.