Thegovernor-general of Nigeria was the representative of themonarch of the United Kingdom inColonial Nigeria from 1954 to 1960, and after Nigerian independence in 1960, the representative of theNigerian head of state.
The office was created on 1 October 1954, when theColony and Protectorate of Nigeria was created asan autonomous federation within theBritish Empire. After independence in 1960, the governor-general became the representative of the Nigerian monarch, and the office continued to exist till 1963, when Nigeria abolished its monarchy, and became a republic.[1][2][3]
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This article contains a list of governors and governors-general of the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, and later of the Federation of Nigeria; both as a British overseas possession and an independent monarchy.[4][5]
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| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Sovereign |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | SirFrederick Lugard (1858–1945) | 1 January 1914 | 8 August 1919 | George V |
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Sovereign |
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | SirHugh Clifford (1866–1941) | 8 August 1919 | 13 November 1925 | George V |
| SirGraeme Thomson (1877–1933) | 13 November 1925 | 17 June 1931 | George V | |
| SirDonald Cameron (1872–1948) | 17 June 1931 | 1 November 1935 | George V | |
| SirBernard Bourdillon (1883–1948) | 1 November 1935 | 1 July 1940 | George V Edward VIII George VI | |
| SirJohn Evelyn Shuckburgh (1877–1953) | 1 July 1940 | 1942 | George VI |
 | SirAlan Burns (1887–1980) | 1942 | 18 Dec 1943 | George VI |
| Arthur Richards, 1st Baron Milverton (1885–1978) | 18 Dec 1943 | 5 February 1948 | George VI | |
.jpg) | SirJohn Macpherson (1898–1971) | 5 February 1948 | 1 October 1954 | George VI Elizabeth II |
Following is a list of people who have served as governor-general of Nigeria.[1]
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Monarch (Reign) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
 Governors-general representing themonarch of the United Kingdom | ||||||
| 1 | | Sir John Stuart Macpherson (1898–1971) | 1 October 1954 | 15 June 1955 | 257 days | .jpg) Elizabeth II .svg) (1954–1960) |
| 2 | SirJames Wilson Robertson (1899–1983) | 15 June 1955 | 1 October 1960 | 5 years, 108 days | ||
 Governors-General representing themonarch of Nigeria | ||||||
| (2) | Sir James Wilson Robertson (1899–1983) | 1 October 1960 | 16 November 1960 | 46 days | Elizabeth II .svg) (1960–1963) | |
| 3 | .jpg) | Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904–1996) | 16 November 1960 | 1 October 1963 | 2 years, 319 days | |
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