Nigeria, known as the “Giant of Africa,” is a country noted for its diverse culture, the country is home to more than 500 ethnic groups, each with its own language and traditions.

Nigeria has produced great men and women who are now internationally recognized, and most of these people sit on high places around the globe.

List of Famous Men and Women in Nigeria

This article provides a list of the most famous men and women in Nigeria, in no particular order:

1. Sade Adu

Sade Adu is a Nigerian-British Singer and a songwriter, she was born in 1959 in Ibadan, Nigeria. She incorporates Afro-Cuban rhythms into her songs, as well as soul and smooth jazz. The Grammy Award winner began her career as a model and studied fashion design. Sade is the creator of the band Sade, and she is known for songs like No Ordinary Love.

2. Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe is a Nigeria novelist, he was born November 16, 1930 at Ogidi. He was a poet, novelist, educator, and critic from Nigeria. Achebe is largely considered as the founder of modern African writing and is often referred to as Africa’s finest storyteller. He received numerous distinctions and medals, including the Man Booker International Prize in 2007. Things Fall Apart is one of Africa’s most popular novels. He died March 21, 2013.

3. Muhammadu Buhari

Muhammadu Buhari is the current president of Nigeria, He is a politician. He was born in Daura, Nigeria on December 17, 1942

4. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian writer, she is also regarded as a feminist. She is recognized with popularizing African literature, particularly in the United States, among a new generation of readers. She was nominated to Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list in 2015. Her popular works are Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun.

5. Fela Kuti

Fela Anikulapo Kuti is a Nigerian singer, and a political activist. In 1978, to commemorate the attack on the Kalakuta Republic, he married 27 women. He first played with his band Koola Lobitos, which he eventually renamed Nigeria ’70. The Black Power movement influenced him, and his musical style evolved as a result.

6. T. B Joshua

T. B Joshua is a Nigerian Pastor, and a Televangelist. He was born on June 12, 1963 in Argidi in Nigeria. He is the founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations. His YouTube channel, Emmanuel TV, has over a million subscribers, and he is immensely popular in Africa and Latin America. He is regarded as one of Africa’s most powerful figures and has received numerous honors. He died June 5, 2021.

7. Wole Soyinka

Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian Poet, an Author, essayist, and a playwright. He was born July 13, 1934 in Abeokuta. He was the first Sub-Saharan African to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986. He worked at the Royal Court Theatre in London as a young man. In Nigeria, he was a key figure in the country’s war for independence.

8. Olusegun Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo is the former president of Nigeria. He was born March 5, 1937, and hails from Abeokuta, Nigeria.

9. Ngozi-Okonjo Iweala

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was born June 13, 1954 in Ogwashi-Uku. She currently became the first woman and the first African to serve as the Director- General of the World Trade Organization

10. Folorunsho Alakija

Folorunsho Alakija is a Nigerian Businesswoman, she is recognized as the richest woman in Africa. she was born July 13, 1951 in Ikorodu, Lagos State. She is the vice chair of Famfa Oil, a Nigerian oil exploration company.