Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria
| Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria | |
|---|---|
since 15 September 2023 | |
| Central Bank of Nigeria | |
| Style | Mr. Governor |
| Member of | Board of Governors |
| Reports to | President of Nigeria Nigerian Senate |
| Seat | CBN Building Abuja |
| Appointer | The president with Senate advice and consent |
| Constituting instrument | CBN Act |
| Formation | July 24, 1958 |
| First holder | Roy Pentelow Fenton |
| Deputy | Deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria |
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is the head of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and is the active executive officer of the Board of Governors of the Central Bank. The governor presides at meetings of the Board.
The governor is nominated by the president of Nigeria and confirmed by the Nigerian Senate; the officeholder serves concurrently as a member of the Board of Governors. Roy Pentelow Fenton was the first governor who served from 24 July 1958 to 24 July 1963. He handed over to Aliyu Mai-Bornu (1919–1970), who became the first Nigerian governor. Abdulkadir Ahmed (1940–1997) served as the longest officeholder from 28 June 1982 to 30 September 1993.[1]
Yemi Cardoso was appointed as governor on 15 September 2023 by President Bola Tinubu.[2][3]
Appointment
As stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria Act of 2007, the governor is chosen by the president with the confirmation of the Senate.[2]
List of governors
The following is a list of past and present governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Since CBN was established in 1958, the following people have served as governor.[4][5]
| # | Portrait | Name (birth–death) |
Term of office | Tenure length | Appointed by | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start of term | End of term | |||||
| 1 | Roy Pentelow Fenton (1918–1979) |
24 July 1958 | 24 July 1963 | 5 years, 0 days | ex officio | |
| 2 | Aliyu Mai-Bornu (1919–1970) |
25 July 1963 | 22 June 1967 | 3 years, 332 days | Abubakar Tafawa Balewa | |
| 3 | Clement Isong (1920–2000) |
15 August 1967 | 22 September 1975 | 8 years, 38 days | Yakubu Gowon | |
| 4 | Adamu Ciroma (1934–2013) |
24 September 1975 | 28 June 1977 | 1 year, 277 days | Murtala Muhammed | |
| 5 | Ola Vincent (1925–2012) |
28 June 1977 | 28 June 1982 | 4 years, 364 days | Murtala Muhammed | |
| 6 | Abdulkadir Ahmed (1940–1997) |
28 June 1982 | 30 September 1993 | 11 years, 124 days | Murtala Muhammed | |
| 7 | Paul Agbai Ogwuma (born 1932) |
1 October 1993 | 29 May 1999 | 5 years, 240 days | Sani Abacha Abdulsalami Abubakar | |
| 8 | Joseph Oladele Sanusi (born 1938) |
29 May 1999 | 29 May 2004 | 5 years, 0 days | Olusegun Obasanjo | |
| 9 | Charles Soludo (born 1960) |
29 May 2004 | 29 May 2009 | 5 years, 0 days | ||
| 10 | Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (born 1961) |
3 June 2009 | 20 February 2014 | 4 years, 262 days | Umaru Musa Yar'Adua | |
| 11 | Sarah Alade | 20 February 2014 | 3 June 2014 | 103 days | Goodluck Jonathan | |
| 12 | Godwin Emefiele (born 1961) |
3 June 2014 | 9 June 2023 | 9 years, 6 days | Goodluck Jonathan Muhammadu Buhari | |
| 13 | Folashodun Shonubi (born 1962) |
9 June 2023 | 15 September 2023 | 98 days | Bola Tinubu | |
| 14 | Olayemi Cardoso (born 1957) |
15 September 2023 | Incumbent | 2 years, 96 days | ||
References
- ^ "List of past CBN Governors in Nigeria and their tenures". Nairametrics. June 10, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ a b Angbulu, Stephen (September 15, 2023). "Tinubu nominates Cardoso as CBN Governor, names four deputies". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ "Yemi Cardoso biography: New CBN governor wey President Tinubu nominate and wetin you need to know about am". BBC News Pidgin. September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ Ubanagu, Makua (September 26, 2023). "(FULL LIST) From Fenton to Cardoso: CBN govs since 1958". The Punch. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ "Past And Present Governors". Central Bank of Nigeria. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2010.