Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A former accountant, Lagos governor and political organiser, he took office on 29 May 2023 and is now seeking a second term. This biography brings together what is publicly reported about his early life, parents, education, business career, family and children, political rise and presidency, with sources listed at the end. Where accounts differ or details are unverified, we say so.
Editorial note: this article is a factual profile. It is based on published reports and public records, last checked on 25 October 2026. It does not endorse any candidate or party. Several personal details are disputed or poorly documented, and we flag them.
Bola Tinubu at a glance
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 March 1952, Lagos (the date generally cited; opponents have questioned his age) |
| Mother | Abibatu Mogaji (1916 to 15 June 2013), Iyaloja of Lagos |
| Education | St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos; Children’s Home School, Ibadan; Chicago State University, USA (B.Sc. Business Administration, 1979) |
| Early career | Accountant and auditor in the USA; later a senior executive at Mobil Producing Nigeria |
| Spouse | Oluremi Tinubu, Senator for Lagos Central and First Lady |
| Political posts | Senator for Lagos West (1992 to 1993); Governor of Lagos State (1999 to 2007); President of Nigeria (since 29 May 2023) |
| Party | All Progressives Congress (APC) |
Early life and birth
Tinubu is widely reported to have been born on 29 March 1952 in Lagos, which would make him 74 years old in October 2026. His age and birth details have been questioned by political opponents, and some sources note that they have not been independently verified, so the date should be treated as the official one rather than a settled record. He grew up in a Yoruba household and attended school in Lagos and Ibadan.
Parents: Abibatu Mogaji and family background
Tinubu’s mother, Abibatu Mogaji, was a prominent trader and the Iyaloja (leader of market women) of Lagos. She became Iyaloja-General of the Association of Nigerian Market Women and Men, succeeding Alimotu Pelewura. She was born in Lagos in 1916 (sources give slightly different dates in October), and died at her home in Ikeja, Lagos, on 15 June 2013, aged 96. She received national honours and honorary doctorates. Her husband is named in published records as Alhaji Abdurazak Mogaji. Public information about Tinubu’s father is limited. Records list Tinubu, Arafat and Abiodun Kasunmu among her children. Her granddaughter later succeeded her as Iyaloja of Lagos. For the tradition behind the title, read our guide to the Iyalode and women leaders in Yoruba history.
Education
He attended St. John’s Primary School in Aroloya, Lagos, and the Children’s Home School in Ibadan. In 1975 he travelled to the United States, studying first at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago and then at Chicago State University, where he graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in accounting and management. Reports say he supported himself with jobs including security guard and taxi driver. His school and university records have been the subject of allegations by opponents, which were raised in court. See the section on the 2023 election below.
Career and business
After graduating, Tinubu worked as an accountant and auditor in the United States for firms including Arthur Andersen, Deloitte and GTE Services Corporation. He then joined Mobil Producing Nigeria, where he rose to a senior finance role as an executive and treasurer in the 1980s, before leaving to enter politics. We do not repeat unconfirmed claims about his wealth or business holdings here, because he is not known to have published a full account of them. Official asset declarations are the best source for current figures.
Wife and children
Tinubu married Oluremi (Remi) Tinubu in 1987. She served as Senator for Lagos Central and is now First Lady of Nigeria. Published family lists name the following children, though Nigerian public records on this are limited and some details conflict between sources:
- With Remi Tinubu: Zainab Abisola, Habibat and Olayinka.
- From earlier relationships: Kazeem Olajide (known as Jide, who died in London in 2017), Folashade (born 1976) and Oluwaseyi (known as Seyi Tinubu, born 1985).
His nephew, Wale Tinubu, is also a public figure. In 2024 an appointment involving a family member by marriage drew criticism from some commentators who called it nepotism.
Political career
Senator and the struggle for democracy
In 1992 he was elected Senator for Lagos West under the Social Democratic Party and chaired the Senate Committee on Banking, Finance, Appropriation and Currency. His Senate service ended on 17 November 1993, when General Sani Abacha dissolved the Senate. After the annulment of the 12 June 1993 election, he became a founding member of the pro-democracy group NADECO, went into exile in 1994 and returned in 1998.
Governor of Lagos State, 1999 to 2007
Tinubu won the 1999 governorship election on the Alliance for Democracy ticket and was re-elected in 2003. His administration is associated with major road construction and the creation of 37 Local Council Development Areas, which led to a dispute with the federal government over withheld funds; the Supreme Court later ordered the funds released. He received several awards during this period. Critics and supporters still debate his record. For background on the city he governed, see our Lagos Island heritage walk.
Building the APC
He founded or joined the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2006. In February 2013 he was central to the merger of the ACN, CPC, ANPP and other groups to form the All Progressives Congress (APC), which won the 2015 presidential election under Muhammadu Buhari. He is widely described as the party’s leading national figure.
Presidential ambition and the 2023 election
Tinubu announced his presidential ambition on 10 January 2022 and won the APC primary on 8 June 2022 with 1,271 votes. On 1 March 2023, INEC declared him the winner of the presidential election with 8,794,726 votes (36.6%), ahead of Atiku Abubakar of the PDP (6,984,520) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (6,101,533). He met the constitutional requirement of 25% in at least two-thirds of the states. The main opposition candidates rejected the result and went to court.
On 26 October 2023 a seven-judge Supreme Court panel dismissed the final appeals by the PDP and the Labour Party, finding them without merit on claims of fraud, electoral law violations and his eligibility, and affirmed his victory. Reports note that his opponents had also sought to present evidence alleging a forged university certificate; the coverage we reviewed does not say that evidence was ruled on. Tinubu was sworn in on 29 May 2023.
His presidency so far
- Fuel subsidy: in his inaugural address on 29 May 2023 he announced the end of the fuel subsidy. Supporters said the subsidy cost the state heavily, while critics pointed to rising fuel and transport prices. The Nigeria Labour Congress called a strike which was later called off.
- Naira and exchange rate: the central bank governor was suspended in June 2023 and foreign exchange restrictions were eased, after which the naira fell to a record low.
- Tax reform: in June 2025 he signed four tax reform bills, including a harmonised Nigeria Tax Act and the creation of the Nigeria Revenue Service, taking effect on 1 January 2026. Officials called them historic, while analysts said results depend on implementation. Businesses earning under N50 million a year were exempted from company income tax.
- Institutions and security: he replaced boards of federal agencies and senior military leadership in 2023 and appointed Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser.
Controversies and criticism
Public life of this length brings disputes, and a fair profile includes them. In 1993, United States authorities froze his American accounts in a drug-related case, and he forfeited about $460,000 in a settlement; reports say he was not charged with a crime. Opponents have also raised questions about his age and academic records, and critics have accused him of nepotism over appointments and called the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State unconstitutional. His supporters reject these criticisms and point to his record in Lagos and in building the APC. Readers should check primary documents and court records.
Re-election bid for 2027
The APC has endorsed Tinubu for a second term, and an Opinion Nigeria report says his campaign was launched in Kaduna on a Saturday, published 25 October 2026. According to that report, he told supporters that fuel subsidy was in the past, promised prosperity for young Nigerians and urged people to collect their voter cards, while Vice President Kashim Shettima also spoke. The report gives the presidential election date as 16 January 2027. It names Atiku Abubakar as pledging to restore the fuel subsidy. We will update this article as the campaign develops.
Why Tinubu matters to Yoruba readers
He is a Lagos-born Yoruba leader, and his presidency is widely discussed across Yorubaland. Read more on Yoruba political history in our profiles of Obafemi Awolowo and Herbert Macaulay, and on traditional leadership in our explainer on the Joint Council of Yoruba Unity. More resources are on our Learn Yoruba hub.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Bola Tinubu?
Officially he was born on 29 March 1952, which makes him 74 in October 2026. Some opponents dispute this.
Who is Bola Tinubu’s mother?
Abibatu Mogaji, the Iyaloja of Lagos, who died on 15 June 2013 aged 96.
Who is Tinubu’s wife and how many children does he have?
His wife is Senator Oluremi Tinubu. Published lists name six children, though family details are not fully documented officially.
When did Tinubu become president?
He was sworn in on 29 May 2023, after INEC declared him the winner on 1 March 2023 and the Supreme Court upheld the result on 26 October 2023.
Is Tinubu running for re-election?
Yes. The APC has endorsed him and his campaign was launched in October 2026.
