Follow Us on Google Discover
Nigeria’s 2027 presidential race will feature a mix of experienced politicians, former office holders, activists and a smaller but notable group of younger contenders seeking to break into the country’s highest political office.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in its final list of presidential and vice-presidential candidates released on September 12, 2026, listed 18 candidates for the January 16, 2027, presidential election.
While the field is dominated by older politicians, including 79-year-old African Democratic Congress candidate Atiku Abubakar and 74-year-old incumbent President Bola Tinubu, the list also highlights a younger generation seeking a place at the centre of national politics.
INEC’s data shows that the youngest presidential candidate is 35-year-old Moses Olusoji Adebisi of the Democratic Liberty Alliance (DLA). Two candidates are aged 43, while another is 44. The list also includes candidates in their late 40s and 50s who are considerably younger than the leading contenders.
Also Read
The 10 youngest candidates cut across nine political parties and include two women, Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Nkem Esther Okereke of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).
Their educational backgrounds also vary considerably, from candidates with secondary school and undergraduate qualifications to those holding master’s degrees and doctorates.
Here are the 10 youngest presidential candidates on the final INEC list, ranked from oldest to youngest.
10. Omoyele Sowore (55 years)
Party: AAC
Omoyele Sowore, 55, is one of the more recognisable names among the younger presidential contenders and is returning to the presidential race for the third consecutive election cycle.
The human rights activist, journalist and publisher is the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), a party he founded. He previously contested the presidency in the 2019 and 2023 elections under the AAC platform.
Sowore secured the AAC ticket for the 2027 election after emerging as the party’s consensus candidate at its presidential primary in Abuja in May 2026. He subsequently stepped down as the party’s national chairman following his emergence as its presidential candidate.
His campaign has continued to position him as an opposition voice advocating major political and institutional changes. He has described the AAC as the genuine opposition and pledged to pursue what he calls revolutionary change, with corruption, unemployment and poor governance among the issues he has highlighted.
INEC lists his academic qualifications as the First School Leaving Certificate, West African Examination Council certificate and a master’s degree. His running mate is 49-year-old Magashi Haruna Garba.
9. Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo (54 years)
Party: SDP
A lawyer, entrepreneur and political activist, 54-year-old Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo is is the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
He is not new to the presidential contest as he was the SDP’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election and returned as the party’s flagbearer for the 2027 contest after emerging through a consensus arrangement at the party’s convention and presidential primary in Bauchi in May 2026.
Adebayo’s campaign has focused heavily on economic hardship, insecurity, governance and the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians.
His published policy programme outlines a four year agenda covering security, food, water, energy, healthcare, education, housing, employment, justice and digital access.
INEC lists his academic qualifications as the First School Leaving Certificate, West African School Certificate and Bachelor of Laws.
8. Peter Ada Agada (54 years)
Party: YPP
At 54, Peter Ada Agada is among the youngest contenders in the 2027 Presidential elections under the flag of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
Agada is among the less nationally prominent names in the 2027 presidential field but his candidacy places him within a group of candidates seeking to challenge the dominance of the country’s major political parties.
He secured the YPP presidential ticket ahead of the general election and is listed by INEC alongside Patience Ndidi Key as his running mate.
INEC records Agada’s educational qualifications as the West African Examination Council certificate, Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration.
His profile also reflects the broader mix of professional and political backgrounds among the candidates outside the dominant parties, with the YPP positioning itself as an alternative political platform in the 2027 contest.
7. Yusuf Kabiru (54 years)
Party: APP
54-year-old Yusuf Kabiru is the presidential candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP).
Kabiru is one of the candidates representing smaller political parties in the 2027 presidential election, with his candidacy placing him among the younger half of the presidential field.
The APP ticket pairs him with Peace Egobia Ofordile, who is listed by INEC as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.
Unlike some of the candidates with university and postgraduate qualifications, Kabiru’s credentials listed by INEC include the First School Leaving Certificate, Senior Secondary School Certificate and a National Diploma.
His candidacy adds another profile to a presidential field that includes established national political figures alongside candidates seeking to build political relevance through smaller parties.
6. Sunday Adenuga (52 years)
Party: Boot Party
Sunday Adenuga, 52, is the presidential candidate of the Boot Party, and also the national chairman of the party, according to INEC’s record.
He emerged as the Boot Party’s presidential candidate after being returned unopposed at its presidential primary in May 2026.
After securing the ticket, Adenuga said Nigeria required a major shift in governance, citing insecurity, rising living costs, poor access to basic needs and declining welfare conditions among the challenges facing the country.
The Boot Party has presented Adenuga’s candidacy around issues including agriculture, food security, rural infrastructure and employment.
INEC lists his academic qualifications as the First School Leaving Certificate, Senior Secondary School Certificate and a master’s degree. His running mate is 40-year-old Mustapha Usman Turaki.
5. Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori (48 years)
Party: NDP
Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori, 48, is one of only two women among the 18 presidential candidates on the final INEC list.
She is the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP), a relatively new political platform that secured registration in 2026 following a legal battle with INEC.
Okwori is also identified by the party as its founder, chairman and chief promoter. The NDP says she pursued legal action after INEC initially rejected its application for registration and secured a Federal High Court judgment directing the electoral commission to issue the party’s certificate. INEC subsequently registered the party in March 2026.
Her candidacy gives the 2027 presidential contest a notable gender dimension, although women remain significantly underrepresented among the candidates.
INEC lists her academic qualifications as the First School Leaving Certificate, Senior Secondary School Certificate and Higher National Diploma in Accountancy.
She is paired with Chukwuemeka Uchenna Anthony as the NDP’s vice presidential candidate.
4. Abbas-Bin Aliyu (44 years)
Party: ADP
Abbas-Bin Aliyu, 44, is the presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP).
At 44, Aliyu is one of the youngest male candidates in the 2027 presidential contest and represents a significantly younger age profile than most of the better-known presidential contenders.
He was previously identified as a political aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar before securing the ADP presidential ticket.
Aliyu is contesting alongside Ike Chinazam, who is listed by INEC as his running mate.
His academic qualifications, according to INEC, include the First School Leaving Certificate, Senior Secondary School Certificate and Bachelor of Science.
3. Nkem Esther Okereke (43 years)
Party: NRM
Dr Esther Nkem Okereke, 43, is the presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) and one of only two women among the 18 presidential candidates listed by INEC.
Okereke secured the NRM ticket at the party’s national convention in Abuja in May 2026, emerging as the party’s candidate after the screening of aspirants.
Her campaign has been built around what the NRM describes as a national rescue mission, with emphasis on insecurity, economic hardship, education, electricity, healthcare, housing, job creation and institutional accountability.
At her emergence as the party’s candidate, Okereke described her candidacy as a call to national service and argued that Nigeria’s economic resources had failed to translate into better living conditions for millions of citizens.
She has also called for greater participation by young people and women in the political process. INEC lists Okereke’s academic qualifications as the First School Leaving Certificate, Senior Secondary School Certificate, Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and PhD.
Okereke is not just one of the youngest contenders, she is also contestingwith one of the youngest running mates, 35-year-old Sulaiman Nasir Muhammed.
2. Sunday Chibuizu Okereke (43 years)
Party: Labour Party
Sunday Chibuizu Okereke, also 43, is the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
His candidacy puts him among the youngest candidates in the 2027 presidential contest and gives the Labour Party a new face at the top of its presidential ticket following the political realignment that has taken place since the 2023 election.
Okereke is described as a medical doctor and public health expert, with his professional background providing a contrast to the more traditional political profiles of several presidential candidates.
INEC’s final list records an extensive academic background for him, including the First School Leaving Certificate, NABTEB qualification, Bachelor of Science with honours, Master of Science with distinction, Master of Library Science with distinction and a PhD.
He is contesting with Hajja Bintu Konto as his running mate.
1.Moses Olusoji Adebisi (35 years)
Party: DLA
At 35, Moses Olusoji Adebisi of the Democratic Liberty Alliance (DLA) is the youngest presidential candidate on Nigeria’s 2027 ballot.
His age makes him the only candidate in the final presidential field below 40 and places him nearly four decades younger than the oldest candidate, 79-year-old Atiku Abubakar.
Adebisi is entering the presidential race at an age when many politicians are still building their careers at the state or legislative level. His candidacy therefore represents one of the clearest examples of younger Nigerians seeking the country’s highest elective office.
The DLA ticket pairs him with Nafisat Usaku Abubakar, who is also 35 according to the INEC list.
INEC records Adebisi’s academic qualifications as the First School Leaving Certificate, Senior Secondary School Certificate and Bachelor of Science.
His emergence as the youngest presidential candidate gives the 2027 election one of its most striking age contrasts, with a 35-year-old contender sharing the ballot with political veterans who have held senior elective and executive positions over several decades.
