Full List of Nigerian Chiefs of Army Staff since 1966.
In Nigeria, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is the professional title of the head of the Nigerian Army, which is occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the President of Nigeria.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Statutory duty is to formulate and execute policies towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the Nigerian Army.
The title Chief of Army Staff (COAS) was initially the General Officer Commanding, Nigerian Army (GOCNA). The Presently appointed Chief of Army Staff by presendient Tinubu is Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, who succeeded Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, in June 2023.
In hierarchy, the Chief of Army Staff reports to the Chief of Defence Staff, who also reports to the Defence Minister, accountable to the President of Nigeria.
Full List of Nigerian Chiefs of Army Staff since 1966.
| No. | Chief of Army Staff | Took office | Left office | Duration |
| 1 | Lieutenant colonel Yakubu Gowon FSS |
January 1966 | July 1966 | 6 months |
| 2 | Lieutenant colonel Joseph Akahan OFR FSS |
July 1966 | May 1968 † | 1 year, 9 months |
| 3 | Major general Hassan Usman Katsina RCDS, PSC |
May 1968 | January 1971 | 2 years, 8 months |
| 4 | Major general David Ejoor |
January 1971 | July 1975 | 4 years, 6 months |
| 5 | Lieutenant general Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma |
July 1975 | October 1979 | 4 years, 3 months |
| 6 | Lieutenant general Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS |
October 1979 | April 1980 | 6 months |
| 7 | Lieutenant general Gibson Jalo CFR FSS, JSS |
April 1980 | October 1981 | 1 year, 6 months |
| 8 | Lieutenant general Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi CFR FSS |
October 1981 | October 1983 | 2 years |
| 9 | Major general Ibrahim Babangida |
January 1984 | August 1985 | 1 year, 7 months |
| 10 | Lieutenant general Sani Abacha GCON , DSS, mni |
August 1985 | August 1990 | 5 years |
| 11 | Lieutenant general Salihu Ibrahim FSS , FHWC |
August 1990 | September 1993 | 3 years, 1 month |
| 12 | Lieutenant general Aliyu Mohammed Gusau DSS, rcds |
September 1993 | November 1993 | 2 months |
| 13 | Major general Chris Alli CRG, DSS, ndc, psc(+) |
November 1993 | August 1994 | 9 months |
| 14 | Major general Alwali Kazir DSS, Usawc, psc(+) |
August 1994 | March 1996 | 1 year, 7 months |
| 15 | Lieutenant general Ishaya Bamaiyi DSS, Usawc, psc(+) |
March 1996 | May 1999 | 3 years, 2 months |
| 16 | Lieutenant general Victor Malu DSS, mni, fwc, psc |
May 1999 | April 2001 | 1 year, 11 months |
| 17 | Lieutenant general Alexander Ogomudia |
April 2001 | June 2003 | 2 years, 2 months |
| 18 | Lieutenant general Martin Luther Agwai |
June 2003 | June 2006 | 3 years |
| 19 | Lieutenant general Owoye Andrew Azazi |
1 June 2006 | May 2007 | 11 months |
| 20 | Lieutenant general Luka Yusuf CFR, GSS, GPP, DSO, psc(+), fwc, Msc |
June 2007 | August 2008 | 1 year, 3 months |
| 21 | Lieutenant general Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau CFR, GSS, psc, ndc, fwc(+) |
August 2008 | September 2010 | 2 years, 1 month |
| 22 | Lieutenant general Azubuike Ihejirika CFR, GSS, psc(+), fwc, fniqs |
September 2010 | January 2014 | 3 years, 4 months |
| 23 | Lieutenant general Kenneth Minimah GSS, psc(+), fwc |
January 2014 | July 2015 | 1 year, 6 months |
| 24 | Lieutenant general Tukur Yusuf Buratai NAM, GSS, psc(+), ndc (BD) |
16 July 2015 | 28 January 2021 | 5 years, 6 months |
| 25 | Lieutenant general Ibrahim Attahiru |
28 January 2021 | 21 May 2021 | 3 months |
| 26 | Lieutenant general Farouk Yahaya |
27 May 2021 | 23 June 2023 | 2 years |
| 27 | Lieutenant general Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja |
23 June 2023 | Incumbent |
Full List of Chiefs of Army Staff in Nigeria since 1966.
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- Lt Col Yakubu Gowon FSS COAS January 1966 – July 1966
- Lt Col Joseph Akahan OFR FSS COAS May 1967 – May 1968
- Maj Gen Hassan Katsina rcds, psc, COAS May 1968 – January 1971
- Maj Gen David Ejoor COAS January 1971 – July 1975
- Lt Gen Theophilus Danjuma COAS July 1975 – October 1979
- Lt Gen Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS COAS October 1979 – April 1980
- Lt Gen Gibson Jalo CFR FSS JSS, COAS April 1980 – October 1981
- Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi CFR FSS, COAS October 1981 – October 1983
- Maj Gen Ibrahim Babangida COAS January 1984 – August 1985
- Lt Gen Sani Abacha GCON, DSS mni, COAS August 1985 – August 1990
- Lt Gen Salihu Ibrahim FSS FHW, CCOAS August 1990 – September 1993
- Lt Gen Aliyu Gusau Mohammed DSS rcds, COAS September 1993 – November 1993
- Maj Gen Chris Alli CRG DSS ndc psc(+) COAS November 1993 – August 19
- Major general Alwali KazirDSS, Usawc, psc(+) (born 1947)
- Lieutenant general Ishaya BamaiyiDSS, Usawc, psc(+) (born 1949)
- Lieutenant general Victor MaluDSS, mni, fwc, psc (1947–2017)
- Lieutenant general Alexander Ogomudia (born 1949)
- Lieutenant general Martin Luther Agwai (born 1948)
- Lieutenant general Owoye Andrew Azazi (1952–2012)
- Lieutenant general Luka YusufCFR, GSS, GPP, DSO, psc(+), fwc, Msc (1952–2009)
- Lieutenant general Abdulrahman Bello DambazauCFR, GSS, psc, ndc, fwc(+) (born 1954)
- Lieutenant general Azubuike IhejirikaCFR, GSS, psc(+), fwc, fniqs (born 1956)
- Lieutenant general Kenneth MinimahGSS, psc(+), fwc (born 1959)
- Lieutenant general Tukur Yusuf BurataiNAM, GSS, psc(+), ndc (BD) (born 1960)
- Lieutenant general Ibrahim Attahiru (1966–2021)
- Lieutenant general Farouk Yahaya (born 1966)
- Lieutenant general Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja (born 1968)
Full List of Nigerian Chiefs of Army Staff since 1966.