List of governors of Akwa Ibom State

Akwa Ibom State, located in the South South geopolitical zone of Nigeria, has been governed by a succession of military governors, administrators, and elected governors since its creation in 1987. Before 1987, it formed part of the Eastern Region until the military dissolved Nigeria's regional structure in 1967. Following the reorganisation, the area became part of the newly created South-Eastern State on 27 May 1967. The South-Eastern State, comprising the present-day states of Akwa Ibom and Cross River, remained under military rule until Nigeria's brief civilian transition in 1979. In 1976, under the Murtala Mohammed administration, South-Eastern State was renamed Cross River State.

For over a decade, the region that would become Akwa Ibom was administered as part of Cross River State. The military government of Ibrahim Babangida created Akwa Ibom State on 23 September 1987, carving it out from the southeastern portion of Cross River State. Upon its creation, Akwa Ibom was governed by military administrators, starting with Tunde Ogbeha (1987–1988), followed by Godwin Abbe (1988–1990), and Idongesit Nkanga (1990–1992). Nigeria's return to democratic rule in the short-lived Third Republic saw Akpan Isemin of the National Republican Convention (NRC) become the state's first elected civilian governor in January 1992. His administration was ended by the military coup of November 1993, after which the state reverted to military rule with Yakubu Bako, Joseph Adeusi, and John Ebiye as administrators.