Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu (born 29 March 1952) is a Nigerian politician serving as the 16th and current president of Nigeria since 2023. He previously served as the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and senator for Lagos West in the Third Republic.

Tinubu spent his early life in southwestern Nigeria and later moved to the United States where he studied accounting at Chicago State University. He returned to Nigeria in the 1980s and was employed by Mobil Nigeria as an accountant before entering politics as a Lagos West senatorial candidate in 1992 under the Social Democratic Party.

After the military dictator Sani Abacha dissolved the Senate in 1993, Tinubu went into exile and became an activist campaigning for the return of democracy as part of the National Democratic Coalition movement.

In the first post-transition Lagos State gubernatorial election, Tinubu won by a wide margin as a member of the Alliance for Democracy. Four years later, he won re-election to a second term as governor.

After leaving office in 2007, he played a key role in forming the All Progressives Congress in 2013.

In 2023, he was elected president, defeating Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. Under his leadership, the government ended prior fuel subsidies, dissolved governing boards of federal agencies, and supported regional efforts to respond to the 2025 Benin coup d'état.

Tinubu was born in Lagos to a Muslim family from the Yoruba ethnic group, the son of Abibatu Mogaji, the Ìyál'ọ́jà of Lagos. His early education included St. John's Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, and Children Home School, Ibadan.

He arrived in the United States in 1975, where he studied accounting and management at Chicago State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1979.

After graduation, Tinubu worked as an accountant for American companies like Arthur Andersen, Deloitte, and GTE Services Corporation. He later joined Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (now Seplat Energy) as a senior executive and treasurer in the 1980s.

His political career began in 1991 with the Social Democratic Party, leading him to be elected to the Senate in 1992. During the military regime of Sani Abacha, Tinubu faced arrests, detentions, and threats, leading him to flee Nigeria in 1994.

He returned in 1998 after Abacha’s death and won the 1999 Lagos State gubernatorial election, serving until 2007. His tenure included controversies with the federal government over local council funds and governance reforms.

Tinubu’s political strategy involved forming the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, uniting opposition parties to challenge the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He supported former military leader Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, helping APC win the presidency.

In 2019, he backed Buhari’s re-election, though tensions with party leadership later emerged. On 10 January 2022, Tinubu formally announced his candidacy for president as an APC candidate.

He won the party convention vote on 8 June 2022, defeating Yemi Osinbajo and Rotimi Amaechi. INEC declared him the winner of the 2023 presidential election on 3 March, with 8,794,726 votes, defeating Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. His victory was challenged by opposition parties due to allegations of fraud and irregularities.

His presidency began with sweeping reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, central bank reforms, and the dissolution of government boards. He appointed key officials like Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser and purged military leadership.

His economic policies, Tinubunomics, aim to overhaul Nigeria’s economy, though international economists remain cautious about their long-term impact. Tinubu’s governance has been marked by controversies, including allegations of nepotism, political maneuvering, and a 2025 coup plot uncovered by security agencies.

His administration has faced criticism for constitutional overreach, such as declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State. Despite these challenges, he has maintained international legitimacy and support from global leaders.

Tinubu is a Muslim of Yoruba ethnicity, married to Oluremi Tinubu, and has three children from his marriage and three from previous relationships. He holds traditional chieftaincy titles, including Asiwaju of Lagos and Jagaba of Borgu Emirate in Niger State. His political influence, particularly in Lagos, has been documented in media and legal disputes.