Nigeria Governance Structure
Federal system, three arms of government, state executives and political framework across all 36 states and FCT.
Executive
The President heads the federal executive. Each state has a Governor as chief executive, supported by a Deputy Governor and State Executive Council.
Legislative
The National Assembly consists of the 109-seat Senate and 360-seat House of Representatives. Each state has a State House of Assembly.
Judiciary
The Supreme Court is the apex court. Each state has a High Court, with Sharia and Customary Courts in applicable states.
Federal Character Principle
Nigeria operates a federal system where power is shared between the Federal Government, 36 State Governments, and 774 Local Government Areas. The Federal Character Principle ensures equitable representation of Nigeria's diverse ethnic and regional groups in government appointments.
Electoral System
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducts all elections in Nigeria. Presidential and gubernatorial elections are held every four years. Winners must receive at least 25% of votes in two-thirds of all states in addition to the highest total vote count.
The Six Geo-political Zones
South West
South East
South South
North West
North East
North Central
🏛 The Presidency
The President of Nigeria is the Head of State, Head of Government, and Commander-in-Chief. Elected for a maximum of two four-year terms. The Vice President assists the President and may act as President when needed.
📋 The National Assembly
The Senate has 3 senators per state plus 1 for the FCT. The House of Representatives seats are allocated proportionally by population.
⚖ The Judiciary
- Supreme Court — Final court of appeal
- Court of Appeal — Intermediate appellate court
- Federal High Court — Federal matters
- State High Courts — State civil and criminal matters
- Sharia Courts — 12 northern states
- Customary Courts — Traditional law matters
🏢 Key Independent Institutions
- INEC — Independent National Electoral Commission
- EFCC — Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
- ICPC — Independent Corrupt Practices Commission
- CBN — Central Bank of Nigeria
Executive
Governor, Deputy Governor, and State Executive Council (commissioners). Tenure: 4 years, maximum 2 terms.
Legislature
State House of Assembly with 24–40 members. Makes laws, approves budgets, and oversees the executive.
Judiciary
State High Court, Magistrate Courts, Area Courts, Customary Courts and (in some states) Sharia Courts.
The Six Geo-political Zones
South West
South East
South South
North West
North East
North Central
35 states — View full governors directory →
No governors found for this zone.
