Academics and Islamic scholars •
Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Al-Fulani Al-Kishwani – prominent mathematician in the early 1700s from
Katsina •
Usman dan Fodio (1754–1817) – Islamic scholar, revolutionary from
Sokoto, founder and spiritual leader of the
Sokoto Caliphate. •
Abdullahi dan Fodio (1766–1829) – scholar,
jurist, pioneer,
Grand Vizier of Sokoto and first Emir of
Gwandu (r. 1812–1828). •
Nana Asma'u – Princess, poet, Islamic scholar and daughter of Usman dan Fodio. •
Muhammed Bello (1781–1837) – the first
Sultan of Sokoto. •
Abd al-Qadir dan Tafa (1804–1864) – described as the "most learned scholar of his time" in the
Sokoto Caliphate who specialized in
philosophy (
Falsafa) •
Abu Bakr Atiku (1782–1842) – second sultan of the Sokoto Caliphate, reigning from October 1837 until November 1842. •
Muhammadu Junaidu – former
Grand Vizier of Sokoto, Historian, Writer •
Hayatu ibn Sa'id - great-grandson of Usman dan Fodio,
Mahdist leader who attempted to conquer Bornu and The Sokoto Caliphate. •
Muhammad Bukhari bin Uthman - military commander, scholar and poet. Son Of
Usman dan Fodio. •
Modibbo Adama (1786–1847) – first
Laamiɗo and founder of
Fombina (Adamawa emirate) which covered parts of Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad. •
Modibbo Raji – influential 19th century Islamic scholar who is generally regarded as the founder of the Islamic scholarly tradition in
Adamawa;
Wazir(vizier) in the
Gwandu Emirate of the
Sokoto Caliphate •
Muhammad Auwal Albani Zaria - prominent Islamic scholar and reformer. •
Isa Ali Pantami - Islamic scholar, former Minister of Communications and Digital economy. •
Ibrahim Ahmad Maqary - Professor of Arabic and linguistics, Current Co-imam of the Abuja National Mosque. •
Iya Abubakar – Professor of Mathematics at
Ahmadu Bello University at the age of 28, first Northern-Nigerian to earn a PhD in any field, former Vice-Chancellor of
Ahmadu Bello University •
R. A. B. Dikko - first Medical Doctor from Northern Nigeria. •
Mahmud Modibbo Tukur (1944–1988) -Nigerian historian, scholar and the 4th National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) •
Muhammad Ali Pate – CEO GAVI; Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population at the World Bank, professor at
Harvard Chan School; former Minister of State for Health, Current Minister Of Health. •
Mustafa Shehu - first person from Sub-Sahara Africa to be elected president of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations. •
Umar Garba - professor of electrical and telecommunications engineering, former executive vice-chairman and chief executive Officer of
Nigerian Communications Commission •
Abdul Ganiyu Ambali - veterinary Doctor, former Vice- Chancellor of
University of Ilorin. •
Ibrahim Abubakar - Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at University College London, Vice Provost (Health). •
Fatima Batul Mukhtar - Professor of Botany, Vice- Chancellor Azman University. •
Bello Shehu - neurosurgeon, former Chief Medical Director of the Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, National Hospital, Abuja and Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin-Kebbi, vice chancellor of The Federal University Birnin-Kebbi. •
Usman Yusuf - professor of hematology-oncology and bone marrow transplantation, former chief executive officer of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). •
Aisha Maikudi - professor of International Law, Vice Chancellor University Of Abuja, Youngest Female Vice-Chancellor at the Age of 41. •
Hadiza Galadanci - Professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Bayero University, Kano, Director of the World Bank Africa Center of Excellence for Population Health and Policy. •
Abubakar Sani Sambo - former Director-General of Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), former Vice Chancellor Of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University. •
Mahmud Tukur - first Vice Chancellor Of Bayero University Kano, former Minister Of Commerce and industry. •
Aisha Mahmoud Hamman - Professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria •
Abba Gumel - professor & The Michael and Eugenia Brin Endowed E-Nnovate Chair in Mathematics at the Department of Mathematics, University of Maryland. •
Fatimah Tuggar - professor of AI in Arts, University of Florida. •
Mahmud Modibbo Tukur – historian, author, Marxist and the 4th
National President of ASUU. •
Jubril Aminu – former Senator of Adamawa; Pioneer Cardiac Surgeon; former Minister of Education/Petroleum and Mineral Resources, former President OPEC Conference. •
Yusufu Bala Usman – historian, writer, and Marxist.
Politicians and administrators •
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (Gere/Fulani) – Nigerian politician and the first Prime Minister of an Independent Nigeria. •
Ahmadu Bello – Sardauna of Sokoto and first Premier of Northern Region of Nigeria. •
Shehu Shagari – former President of Nigeria. • Major-General
Mohammadu Buhari – former president and former Head of State of Nigeria. •
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua – former President of Nigeria. •
Namadi Sambo - former Vice President of Nigeria •
Aminu Kano – politician and teacher. •
Atiku Abubakar – former Vice President of Nigeria. •
Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi – former Governor of Kano State, Politician. •
Rabiu Kwankwaso – former Governor of Kano State, Nigeria, former Minister of Defence. •
Abdullahi Umar Ganduje – former Governor of Kano State, Nigeria. •
Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai – former Governor of Kaduna State, former Minister of Federal Capital. •
Isa Yuguda - economist, former Minister of Aviation, former Governor of Bauchi State. •
Abubakar Atiku Bagudu – former Governor of Kebbi State, Senate Second Republic, Nigeria. •
Sule Lamido – former Governor of Jigawa State, Nigeria, former Minister of Foreign Affairs. •
Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko – former Governor of Sokoto State and current Senator of Sokoto North. •
Danbaba Suntai - former Governor Of Taraba State. •
Dikko Umar Radda - Governor of Katsina State. •
Gidado Idris – former Secretary to the Government of The Federation. •
Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu - former Inspector General of Police. •
Lamido Yuguda - Former director general of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Deputy Governor Central Bank of Nigeria. •
Muhammad Sani Abdullahi - Former Kaduna State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Deputy Governor(Economic Policy) Central Bank of Nigeria. •
Abdulkadir Ahmed - economist, longest serving Governor of the
Central Bank of Nigeria between 1982 - 1993. •
Abubakar Koko - administrator, First Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Abuja, planned and executed Nigeria's new capital, Sarkin Yakin Gwandu. •
Bello Maitama Yusuf - GCON, former Minister of Interior, Commerce, Social Welfare, Youth, Sports and Culture. •
Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu - Executive Sectretary
National Universities Commission (NUC), former VC Modibbo Adama Federal University of Technology, Yola. •
Hamza Rafindadi Zayyad - former Managing Director New Nigeria Development Company, former Head Of Nigeria Privatization Committee. •
Shamsudeen Usman - economist, former Deputy Governor (operations, Financial Stability)
Central Bank of Nigeria, former Minister of National Planning, former Minister of Finance, former President Nigerian Economic society, Founder Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund (NSIA). •
Nuhu Ribadu – current
National Security Adviser and pioneer Executive Chairman of Nigeria's
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). •
Ibrahim Jalo - first indigenous full term to be Speaker of House of Representatives of Nigeria. •
Abubakar Alhaji - economist, former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, former Minister OF Finance and Planning, Sardauna of Sokoto. •
Abdullahi Dikko - economist, former Comptroller-General Of
Nigeria Customs Service. •
Idi Mukhtar Maiha - former Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Minister of Livestock Development. •
Zainab Ahmed - Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, executive director of the World Bank. •
Adamu Bello - economist, former Minister Of Agriculture and Rural Development. •
Abdullahi Baffa Bichi - former Executive Secretary
Tertiary Education Trust Fund, former Kano SSG. •
Suwaiba Ahmad - Minister of State for Education. •
Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta - former Inspector General of Police. •
Aisha Shehu Adamu - Medical Consultant, current Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo. •
Bashir Dalhatu - former Minister of Power and Steel, Interior. Wazirin Dutse. •
Bukhari Bello - former Executive Secretary of Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). •
Babangida Nguroje - former Deputy Speaker Of the House Of Representatives. •
Aliyu Modibbo Umar – former Minister of State, Power and Steel (2002–2003), former Minister of Commerce and Industry (2006–2007), former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (2007–2008). •
Rilwanu Lukman- former Minister of Petroleum Resources and Mines, Power, Steel; and former Secretary General
OPEC. •
Maikanti Baru - engineer, former GMD Of
NNPC Limited. •
Mohammed Bello-Koko - former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority •
Muhammed Babandede - former Comptroller General (CG) of the
Nigeria Immigration Service NIS. •
M.T. Usman - former permanent secretary ministry of Works. •
Hamman Bello - former Comptroller- General Of
Nigeria Customs Service. •
Musa Yar'Adua - Minister of Lagos Affairs 1960 -1966, Matawalle of the
Katsina Emirate. •
Muhammadu Ribadu – first Minister of Defence after independence, Founder of the Nigerian Defence Academy. •
Mansur Muhtar – economist, former Nigerian Federal Minister of Finance (2008 -2010), former director
World Bank, presently vice chairman, Islamic Development Bank. •
Tajudeen Abbas - Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria. •
Abubakar Olusola Saraki – (Fulani/Yoruba); former President of the Senate. •
Gbemisola Ruqayyah Saraki – (Fulani/Yoruba); former Senator Kwara Central, current Minister of State. Transportation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Nigeria. •
Aisha Dikko - former Attorney general, commissioner of Justice Kaduna. •
Bukola Saraki – (Fulani/Yoruba); former President of the Nigerian Senate; former
Governor of Kwara State and former Senator
Kwara Central, Nigeria. • Captain
Muhammad Bala Shagari – politician, former Nigerian Army officer. Current Sarkin Mafaran Shagari and District Head of Shagari Local Government, Nigeria. •
Mohammed Bello (jurist) – jurist and statesman who was the Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1987 to 1995. •
Mohammed Uwais - jurist and former Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1995 to 2006. •
Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore - jurist and former Chief justice of Nigeria from 2006 to 2007. •
Mahmud Mohammed - jurist and former Chief Justice of Nigeria from 2014 to 2016 •
Tanko Muhammad - jurist and former Chief Justice of Nigeria from 2019 to 2022. •
Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa - first female president of the Nigerian Courts of Appeal. •
Mamman Nasir - former Justice of the Supreme Court, former President Of the Courts Of Appeal. •
Shehu Atiku - former Chief Judge Kano state High Court. •
Usman Bayero Nafada - former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria. •
Aishatu Dahiru "Binani"–
Senator Adamawa Central; APC Governatorial Candidate. •
Hadiza Bala Usman - former managing director of Nigerian Ports Authority. •
Shehu Dikko- Sports Administrator, former Chairman league management company, Chairman National Sports Commission. •
Yahaya Dikko - former General Manager of NEPA, former president of
OPEC. •
Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila – politician and administrator. •
Aliyu Ibrahim Gebi - security expert, former Member of the House of Representatives.
Military figures • Major-General
Hassan Katsina - last Military Governor of Northern Nigeria and former Chief of Army Staff • General
Murtala Mohammed – former Head of State of Nigeria. • Major-General
Shehu Musa Yar'Adua – former Deputy Head of State. • Major-General
Tunde Idiagbon – (Fulani/Yoruba); former Deputy Head of State. • Lieutenant-General
Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau – retired Nigerian Army Lieutenant-General and Nigeria's former Minister of the Interior. Dambazau served as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) between 2008 and 2010. • Colonel
Mohammed Kaliel - former Commander Guards Brigade, first Governor of Bauchi State. • Vice-Admiral
Murtala Nyako - former
Chief of the Naval Staff (Nigeria), Military Governor of Niger State and Civilian Governor of Adamawa State. • Brigadier General
Mohammed Buba Marwa - former Military Governor of Borno and Lagos State, Chairman of
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. • Vice-Admiral
Awwal Zubairu Gambo - Retired Nigerian Navy Vice-Admiral, former Chief of Naval Staff. • Colonel
Lawan Gwadabe -former Commander of the National Guards (Guards Brigade), former Chief of Staff Gambian Army. • Air Marshal
Sadique Abubakar - former Chief of Air Staff. •
Ali Jedo - The first Amir al-jaish al-Islam (supreme commander of the army or Sarkin Yaki) of the
Sokoto Caliphate.
Diplomats •
Hamzat Ahmadu - Nigerian diplomat, former ambassador to the Soviet Union, the United States of America and high commissioner to the Bahamas. •
Nuhu Bamalli - Former Minister of Foreign Affairs •
Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo – 28th
Secretary-General of OPEC. •
Ibrahim Gambari – (Fulani/Yoruba); Scholar and diplomat; Chief of Staff to the President; Under-Secretary-General / Special Adviser – Africa United Nations; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Current Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria. •
Amina J. Mohammed – (Fulani/English); Politician; Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; former Federal Minister of Environment, Nigeria. •
Tijjani Muhammad-Bande – Political scientist, administrator and career diplomat. Current President of the United Nations General Assembly, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN, former VP of the UN General Assembly. •
Nura Abba Rimi - Nigeria's ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt, with concurrent accreditation to the State of Palestine and the State of Eritrea; former Presidential Liaison Officer. •
Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari – (Fulani/Yoruba); Nigerian judge and monarch. Current Emir of Ilorin, Nigeria. •
Yusuf Tuggar –
Minister of Foreign Affairs. •
Aminu Bashir Wali - Former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Former Minister Of Foreign affairs. •
Isa Wali - former Nigerian High commissioner to Ghana.
Traditional and religious leaders • Brigadier-General
Sa'adu Abubakar – Sultan of Sokoto. •
Ibrahim Dabo – Emir of Kano (1819–46). •
Muhammadu Attahiru I - The last independent Sultan of Sokoto before the Caliphate was taken over by the British. •
Muhammadu Dikko – Emir of Katsina (1906–44). • Sir
Usman Nagogo – Emir of Katsina (1944–1981). •
Muhammadu Kabir Usman – Emir of Katsina (1981–2008). •
Abdullahi Bayero – Emir of Kano (1926–1953). •
Muhammadu Sanusi I – Emir of Kano (1954–1963). •
Ado Bayero – Emir of Kano (1963–2014). •
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi – Emir of
Kano, former Governor Central Bank of Nigeria. • Sir
Siddiq Abubakar III – former Sultan of Sokoto. •
Ibrahim Dasuki – former Sultan of Sokoto. •
Muhammadu Maccido – former Sultan of Sokoto. •
Zubeiru bi Adama - Last independent Lamido of Adamawa before British colonisation. •
Mohammed Jega - Emir of Gwandu. •
Ja'afaru Dan Isiyaku - Emir of Zazzau. •
Hameem Nuhu Sanusi - Emir of Dutse. •
Abubakar Shehu-Abubakar - Emir of Gombe. •
Ahmed Suleiman – Emir of Misau. •
Umaru Nagwamatse - First Sarkin Sudan, Founder of Kontogora Emirate. •
Modibbo Adama – Islamic Scholar and founder of the
Adamawa Emirate.
Other •
Mamman Shata – Legendary Hausa-singer from
Katsina State. •
Sunusi Ibrahim – Footballer •
Dadasare Abdullahi – Writer, Teacher and first female journalist from Northern Nigeria. •
Hajiya Ma'daki - Nigerian noblewoman and advisor in the royal courts of Katsina and Kano. •
Aisha Buhari – former
First Lady of Nigeria. •
Maryam Uwais - Lawyer, Human Right Activist. •
Bello Bala Shagari – Documentary filmmaker, a Youth Activist & Leader and the Current President of The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Nigeria. •
Yakubu Muhammed Hausa actor. ==Guinea==