Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Chair of ALDRI

Olusegun Obasanjo is a statesman, diplomat and military leader with decades of experience in governance, international mediation and peace-building across Africa. He is recognised for his commitment to democracy, regional stability and development.

He served as President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 and previously led the country as head of the Federal Military Government from 1976 to 1979, becoming the first African military ruler to voluntarily hand over power to a civilian government. He has played a key role in mediating conflicts in Namibia, Angola, South Africa, Mozambique and Burundi.

He is currently the African Union’s High Representative for the Horn of Africa and remains one of the strongest voices on the international stage. He is a member of international organisations such as the Africa Progress Panel and has overseen democratic elections across the continent.

Olusegun Obasanjo also founded the Africa Leadership Forum and has written more than 30 books on governance, leadership and development.