Who were Nigeria’s first federal prime minister and first president?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Nigeria’s first federal prime minister was Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, who served from 1957 until 1966.1

The country’s first president was Nnamdi Azikiwe, who held the office from 1963 to 1966. While Balewa served as prime minister following Nigeria's independence in 1960, the nation officially became a republic on October 1, 1963, at which point Azikiwe assumed the presidency.23