Samia Suluhu Hassan was born in Zanzibar in 1960 and became the sixth President of Tanzania in March 2021. She is the country’s first female president and previously served as Vice-President from 2015 to 2021. 

Early life and education: Hassan completed secondary school in 1977 and worked in government, obtaining an Advanced Diploma in Public Administration in 1986, a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics in 1994, and an MSc in Community Economic Development in 2015.

Political career: Her early career included work for the Zanzibar government and the UN’s World Food Programme. She was appointed to the Zanzibar House of Representatives in 2000, serving in ministerial roles, and was re-elected in 2005. From 2010 to 2015, she was a Member of Parliament and Minister of State for Union Affairs. Hassan became Tanzania’s first female Vice-President in 2015 and assumed the presidency in March 2021 following the death of President John Magufuli.

Presidency and leadership: As president, Hassan has introduced policy changes, notably regarding COVID-19 and international engagement. While credited with economic growth and reforms, concerns about potential repressive practices were reported in October 2025 by human rights groups.

Family: Hassan is married to Hafidh Ameir and they have four children, including politician Wanu Hafidh Ameir.

Net Worth and Salary: Samia Suluhu Hassan has an estimated net worth of $2 million. President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s annual salary is publicly stated as 98,287,560 Tanzanian shillings, or approximately US$42,000. The figure in USD can fluctuate slightly based on the exchange rate.

Official regulations: The Presidential Affairs Act governs the expenses and allowances for the President’s household, which are charged to the Consolidated Fund. This is separate from the published salary.

Government salary increases: In May 2025, President Suluhu Hassan announced a significant minimum wage increase for public servants, from 370,000 to 500,000 Tanzanian shillings per month, effective July 2025. This, however, does not directly impact the president’s own salary.

Samuel Mvondo Ayolo is a Cameroonian diplomat and politician who currently serves as the Minister, Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic. His position as a close confidant and high-ranking official to President Paul Biya makes him a very influential figure in Cameroonian politics. 

Early life: Born on January 12, 1957 in Sangmélima, Dja-et-Lobo, in the South Region of Cameroon, to Moïse Ayolo, a wealthy cocoa exporter.

Education: After obtaining his baccalauréat, he moved to France for his higher education. He obtained a Master’s degree and a diploma of advanced studies in law and political science from Jean-Moulin University in Lyon. He also holds a State Doctorate in Political Science and International Law.

Early Diplomatic Career: Ayolo began his civil service career in the Ministry of External Relations in 1985. He worked his way up through various positions, becoming Director of the United Nations and Decentralized Cooperation in 1997.

Ambassadorial Roles

Gabon (2008-2016): He was appointed Cameroon’s ambassador to Libreville, Gabon, a position he held for eight years.

France (2016-2018): Following his tenure in Gabon, he was appointed ambassador to Paris, one of Cameroon’s most prestigious diplomatic posts.

Director of Civil Cabinet (2018–present): In 2018, he was recalled to Cameroon and appointed Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency, replacing Martin Belinga Eboutou. – -His role involves handling state protocol, presidential communication, and other sensitive, reserved affairs.

– In practice, his influence reportedly extends beyond his official duties, as he manages the president’s agenda and instructs other ministers on behalf of the Head of State.

Political Rivalry: Ayolo has been involved in a long-standing rivalry with Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, another key figure in the presidency.

Burglary and Controversy: In July 2025, Africa Confidential reported a burglary of Ayolo’s office at the presidential palace. During the incident, significant amounts of cash and documents were stolen.

Recent Appearances

Presidential Nomination (July 2025): Alongside Jean Nkuété, Ayolo deposited the nomination of Paul Biya for the upcoming presidential election.

Memory Commission Report (January 2025): He co-presided over the official ceremony in France to present the report of the Franco-Cameroonian Memory Commission to French President Emmanuel Macron.

Personal Loss: In March 2025, he lost his former partner, Valérie, the mother of his son Moïse.

Personal life and family

Close to Power: Ayolo has long been considered a protégé of President Biya, and the relationship is often described as resembling that of a father and son.

Family Ties: He has leveraged his father’s connections and his own relationships to build his political standing. He is also close with Franck Biya, the president’s son. His brother, Yves, is reportedly his private secretary.

Nnamdi Kanu also known as Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu is a British-Nigerian political activist and the founder and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist movement advocating for the independence of the Republic of Biafra from Nigeria. Kanu is a prominent but controversial figure in Nigerian politics due to his activism and legal challenges. 

Early life and education: Born Nwannekaenyi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu on September 25, 1967 in Isiama Afara Ukwu, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. He is of Igbo ethnicity.

Family: He was born to the royal family of His Royal Highness Eze Israel Okwu Kanu and Ugoeze Nnenne Kanu.

Education: He attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, before moving to the United Kingdom, where he gained British citizenship. He also attended the London Metropolitan University.

Activism and Radio Biafra Radio Biafra: Kanu founded Radio Biafra, an online radio station that broadcasts separatist messages to Nigeria from London. He became a public figure through his radio broadcasts, which called for an independent state for the Igbo people.

Formation of IPOB: In 2012, Kanu founded the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), an organization dedicated to the restoration of the defunct Republic of Biafra.

Views and Ideology: Kanu believes that the Igbo people have been marginalized by the Nigerian government. His movement has gained a large following, especially among young people in Nigeria’s southeast.

Militant Rhetoric: Some of his comments on Radio Biafra and at diaspora gatherings have included militant rhetoric, such as calling for Biafrans to take up arms against the Nigerian state.

Legal challenges and detention First Arrest (2015): Kanu was first arrested in Nigeria on treason and terrorism charges in October 2015 and was held for over a year despite multiple court orders for his release.

Release and Evasion: He was released on bail in April 2017 but disappeared in September 2017 after a military raid on his family home in Abia State. His bail was revoked in 2019.

Second Arrest (2021): Kanu was rearrested by the Nigerian government in June 2021 through an extraordinary rendition from Kenya. He has been detained by the Department of State Services since then, facing new charges related to terrorism and treasonable felony.

Ongoing Trial: His legal battles with the Nigerian government are ongoing, with his defense recently beginning in court. In October 2025, he announced that he would be representing himself.

Sacking of Legal Team: In October 2025, Kanu dismissed his legal team and announced his decision to represent himself in court.

Supreme Court Verdict: The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reversed an earlier court of appeals decision that had ordered the dropping of charges against Kanu.

Defense Commences: Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, Kanu began his defense in the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Continued Support and Protest: Despite his ongoing detention, Kanu retains a strong following, and protests for his release have continued.

Personal Life: Nnamdi Kanu is married to Uchechi Okwu-Kanu. The couple has been married for over a decade. The couple has children, and their family has been significantly impacted by Nnamdi Kanu’s prolonged detention. His wife Uchechi Okwu-Kanu graduated from the University of Law in the UK and now plans to join her husband’s defense team.

Net Worth: Nnamdi Kanu has an estimated net worth of $2 million approximately ₦2.92 billion.

Sentence

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was sentenced to life imprisonment on November 20, 2025, by a Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria. He was found guilty on all seven terrorism-related charges he faced.

Details of the Sentence Life Imprisonment: The judge, Justice James Omotosho, sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment on counts 1, 4, 5, and 6, opting for this instead of the potential death penalty. The judge cited the global trend against capital punishment and the principle of mercy.

Other prison terms: For the remaining charges, Kanu received a 20-year sentence for count 3 (belonging to a proscribed terrorist group) and a 5-year sentence for count 7 (unlawful importation of a radio transmitter).

Concurrent sentencing: All sentences are to run concurrently, meaning he will serve the longest term: life imprisonment.

Key Points Charges: Kanu was convicted of charges including terrorism, treason, and inciting violence through his Radio Biafra broadcasts and “sit-at-home” orders, which the court found led to deadly attacks on security forces and citizens in Nigeria’s southeast.

Courtroom behavior: Kanu was not in the courtroom when the verdict was delivered as he had been removed earlier for unruly behavior.

Next Steps: Kanu’s legal team and family have indicated they will appeal the judgment, with his wife calling the ruling “worthless” and “illegal”.

John Dramani Mahama is a Ghanaian politician who is currently serving his second, non-consecutive term as the 14th President of Ghana. He previously held the presidency from 2012 to 2017. A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), he is known for his extensive political career and for being the first Ghanaian head of state to be born after Ghana’s independence.

Early life and education

John Mahama was born on November 29, 1958 in Damongo, Ghana, into a family with political prominence. He is from the Gonja ethnic group in the Savanna Region of Ghana; his hometown is Bole.

After attending Achimota School and Ghana Secondary School, he earned degrees from the University of Ghana and the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow. He worked in teaching, at the Japanese Embassy in Accra, and for Plan International.

Political career

Mahama was elected to the Parliament of Ghana in 1996 and served three terms, including as Minister of Communications. From 2009 to 2012, he served as Vice President. He became president following the death of President Atta Mills in 2012 and won the 2012 election. His first presidential term faced economic and energy challenges, leading to his defeat in 2016.

Mahama won the 2024 presidential election against Mahamudu Bawumia and began his second non-consecutive term in January 2025. His initial actions in his current term include ordering investigations into the National Cathedral project and suspending the Chief Justice.

Written works and international roles: In 2012, Mahama published a memoir. He has also held roles in international bodies like ECOWAS and the Pan-African Parliament.

Personal Life: John Mahama has been married to Lordina Mahama since 1992. She served as First Lady during his previous term from 2012 to 2017 and became First Lady again in January 2025. They have five children together: Shafik, Shahid, Sharaf, Jesse, and Farida.

Net Worth and Salary: John Mahama has an estimated net worth of $10 million approximately ₵120 million.As of 2024, the President of Ghana receives an annual salary of about GHS 934,800, or over $76,000, according to figures released ahead of the 2024 election. This figure represents the base pay and does not include other benefits and allowances such as housing, transportation, and security, which would increase the overall compensation package.

Maurice Kamto, born on February 15, 1954, in Bafoussam, Cameroon, is a politician, lawyer, and law professor. A prominent opposition figure against President Paul Biya, he founded the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC) in 2012 and ran in the 2018 presidential election.

Early life and education: Kamto comes from a modest family and witnessed political events in his youth that influenced his political consciousness.

University of Yaoundé: Obtained a degree in public law.

University of Nice: Earned advanced diplomas in international and public law.

International Institute of Public Administration in Paris: Graduated in 1982. University of Nice: Completed his law doctorate in 1983.

He also became an associate of French law faculties and later the dean of the Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences at the University of Yaoundé II.

Academic: Kamto has held professorial positions at various Cameroonian universities and taught at the Institute of International Relations of Cameroon (IRIC).

Legal expert: He is a member of the United Nations International Law Commission and has served as a consultant in international law cases.

Bakassi Peninsula: Kamto led the Cameroonian delegation in negotiations for the Bakassi Peninsula, a disputed territory with Nigeria.

Ministerial: He was appointed Minister Delegate to the Minister of Justice in 2004 but resigned in 2011.

Political career Founding the MRC: After leaving the government, Kamto launched the opposition Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC) in 2012 to offer a new political discourse.

2018 Presidential Election: He finished second in the election but disputed the results, leading to his arrest and imprisonment in 2019. He was released later that year following international pressure.

2025 Presidential Election: Resignation from MRC: In July 2025, Kamto resigned from the MRC to avoid legal conflicts over his eligibility to run.

Joined MANIDEM: He was nominated by another party, the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (MANIDEM).

Disqualification: However, Kamto was disqualified by the electoral body ELECAM and his appeal was rejected. The body cited his party’s boycott of previous elections and a dispute over his nomination via MANIDEM.

Controversial figure: His political actions have drawn both strong support and criticism, including accusations related to electoral laws he once helped to draft.

He remains a significant opposition figure in Cameroon, mobilizing support both domestically and among the diaspora. Maurice Kamto has an estimated net worth of $2 Million approximately 1.13 billion. Kamto is married to Suzanne Julie Fatchom Wega.

Paul Atanga Nji was born in 1960 in Bamenda, North West Region, Cameroon. He is a Cameroonian politician and a key figure in the country’s government. He has served as the Minister of Territorial Administration since March 2, 2018, and is also the Permanent Secretary of the National Security Council. 

Background: Atanga Nji was born into an influential family in Cameroon’s Northwest Region. Education: He completed his primary and secondary education in Cameroon before continuing his studies in China and Nigeria. He holds multiple qualifications, including a master’s degree in Public Law, a PhD in Economics, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and a certificate in financial management.

Early Career: Before his ministerial career, he worked in the ministries of Health, National Education, and Agriculture and also founded his own banking institution.

Political career

Atanga Nji is a member of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) and a long-time supporter of President Paul Biya.

Rise in government: He first served as Minister in Charge of Missions at the Presidency of the Republic, a position he held from 2007 until his appointment as Minister of Territorial Administration.

Hardline stance: He is known for his assertive and hardline approach, particularly in his role as Minister of Territorial Administration, which involves overseeing civil protection, election monitoring, and maintaining public order.

Handling the Anglophone crisis: His tenure has coincided with the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon, and he has often been at the forefront of the government’s response.

Presidential election context: In October 2025, ahead of the presidential elections, he attracted media attention for announcing the closure of national borders and warning opposition figures.

Controversy: Nicknamed le Moulinex meaning blender machine; he is viewed by some as an effective operator for the regime and is known for his strong rhetoric against political opponents. However, his public statements and handling of dissent have made him a controversial figure in Cameroon.

Personal Life: He is also a family man and has publicly showcased his family life on several occasions. Paul Atanga Nji is reportedly married to two wives: Marguerite Fonkwen Atanga and Yvonne Abang Atanga.  Marguerite is a banker and entrepreneur. In April 2023, she was appointed CEO of CCA-Bank in Cameroon. Together with Paul Atanga Nji, Yvonne Abang Atanga donated a reconstructed church to the Immaculate Conception parish in Efoulan village. The couple is known for their philanthropic gestures.

Issa Tchiroma Bakary was born on September 10, 1949, in Garoua. Issa Tchiroma’s ancestral origins are associated with the Fulani people of Cameroon. He was raised in the northern city of Garoua, a stronghold of the Fulani ethnic group. His name Tchiroma means “the one destined to lead” or “heir to the throne” Issa is the Arabic name for Jesus, as mentioned in the Qur’an and Bakary means “a person with a great destiny”.

Issa Tchiroma is a Cameroonian politician, railway engineer, and the current President of the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC). After a decades-long career in government, Tchiroma resigned from his ministerial post in June 2025 to run for the presidency in the October 12, 2025 election. 

Early life: Tchiroma was born in Garoua to an influential family, with his father serving as an advisor to the traditional ruler.

Education: He completed his early studies in Cameroon before pursuing higher education in France. He studied technical training in transport and later became a railway engineer specializing in materials and construction.

While pursuing a Ph.D. in mathematics, he switched fields due to political pressures. Imprisonment: Tchiroma was arrested in 1984 following a failed coup attempt against President Paul Biya, allegedly due to his northern origins. He was imprisoned for six years without charge, an experience that Amnesty International denounced. During his incarceration, he taught himself English, becoming a bilingual political figure.

Primary School: He attended Public School De Doualaré in Garoua, Cameroon. Secondary School: His secondary studies took place in Douala, Cameroon.

Higher education PhD Studies (interrupted): Tchiroma began studying for a PhD in mathematics at the University of Paris (Jussieu) in France.

Engineering Degree: Due to political pressure, he switched fields and instead joined the Institut Supérieur des Matériaux et de la Construction Mécanique (ISMCM), also known as Supmeca Paris.

Specialization: He trained and became a railway engineer, specializing in materials and construction.

Political career: Tchiroma has had a long and at times controversial political career, marked by shifting alliances.

Initial Opposition: After his release from prison in 1990, Tchiroma joined the opposition party National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP) and was elected to the National Assembly in 1992.

Ministerial Positions (with ruling party): Transport (1992–1996): He was appointed Minister of Transport by President Biya in 1992 despite opposition from some members of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM). His continued service in the government led to his expulsion from the UNDP, after which he formed a faction that became the National Alliance for Democracy and Progress (NADP).

Communication (2009–2019): After forming his own party, the FSNC, Tchiroma re-entered government as Minister of Communication and served as the government’s spokesperson.

Employment and Vocational Training (2019–2025): He later served as the Minister of Employment and Vocational Training until his resignation. 2025 Presidential Candidacy: In June 2025, Tchiroma publicly resigned from the government and announced his candidacy for the presidency, stating his intention to “break with a government he believes has run out of steam”. He has campaigned on a platform of federalism and national reconciliation, gaining support from some opposition figures.

Government Spokesperson: As Communication Minister, he was the face of the state during the Boko Haram insurgency and the early stages of the Anglophone crisis.

Controversial Stance: His long history of switching between opposition and government roles has led to perceptions of ambivalence, though he frames his actions as a “path of duty and clarity”. His recent shift to supporting federalism, a position he once dismissed, has also drawn scrutiny.

Personal Life: While he has kept much of his immediate family life private, some details have emerged: He has publicly mentioned having grandchildren from different regions, which he has used to advocate for national unity. Reports from August 2025 state that he mentioned having three Bamileke grandchildren and two from the South of Cameroon.

Net Worth: Issa Tchiroma Bakary has an estimated net worth of $2 Million (1.12 billion FCFA). He has accumulated wealth through his extensive career in government service in Cameroon. His income sources are primarily related to his long tenure in various ministerial positions. He owns a house in Yaounde and his home town Garoua.

Paul Biya, born on February 13, 1933, is a Cameroonian politician who has served as the President of Cameroon since 1982. He is one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world and ran for an eighth term in the presidential election in October 2025. 

Born Paul Barthélemy Biya’a bi Mvondo in Mvomeka’a, French Cameroon (now in the South Region of Cameroon), Biya is of the Beti ethnic group.

He attended seminary schools in Cameroon before pursuing his higher education in France. In France, he studied at Lycée Louis-le-Grand and the University of Paris Sorbonne, earning a higher education diploma in public law from the Institut des hautes études d’Outre-Mer in 1961.

Upon his return to Cameroon, Biya began a rapid ascent within the government under President Ahmadou Ahidjo. From 1968 to 1975, he served as Secretary-General of the Presidency. In 1975, he became Prime Minister.

When Ahidjo unexpectedly resigned in November 1982, Biya, as the constitutional successor, was sworn in as president on November 6, 1982.

After an initial period of harmony, tensions with Ahidjo led to Biya consolidating his power and eliminating his rivals after a staged coup attempt in 1984. He initially operated under a one-party system but, facing pressure, reintroduced a multiparty system in the early 1990s.

Biya has since been re-elected several times, including in 1992, 1997, 2004, 2011, and 2018. However, these elections have been marred by allegations of voting irregularities and fraud.

 In 1987, he published the political essay Communal Liberalism, advocating for economic liberalism while also promoting national solidarity and social justice.

Due to his age and infrequent public appearances, there is ongoing speculation about his health and the eventual succession. His public absences have occasionally fueled rumors of his death, which the government has denied.

 In July 2025, the 92-year-old Biya officially announced his candidacy for an eighth term in the October election.

As the election was approaching, concerns were raised among the public and the opposition about the country’s stability. Key allies withdrew from his coalition, and there was a lack of clear succession planning.

He married Jeanne-Irène Atyam in the early 1960s. She died in 1992. In 1994, he married Chantal Vigouroux, who is 36 years his junior. He has three children (Brenda, Junior), including his eldest son, Franck Biya.

Paul Biya’s Fortune: In 2009, ForeignPolicy.com estimated Paul Biya’s net worth at $200 million. However, some social media users have questioned this figure, with one commenter noting a much higher $500 million.

The OCCRP investigation conservatively estimated the hotel bill for one of Biya’s stays at the InterContinental at around $40,000 per day, based on room prices and entourage lists. This would amount to approximately $65 million for the 1,645 days of private trips documented by the OCCRP at that time, not including food, entertainment, or travel costs.

A 2009 BBC report detailed allegations that Biya and his delegation spent $40,000 per day on hotel rooms during a holiday in La Baule, southern France. At the time, Cameroon’s communications minister defended the president’s spending.

The OCCRP investigation also reported that flight costs alone for Biya’s private trips could total more than $117 million, bringing the total estimated travel costs to a very high figure.

Honorable Natasha Irobosa Osawaru is a notable young Nigerian politician who currently holds the position of Deputy Majority Leader in the Edo State House of Assembly.

Born on November 14, 1993, she is the daughter of Desmond and Philomina Osawaru, and the granddaughter of Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, a well-known businessman and philanthropist.

Representing the Egor constituency, Natasha is affiliated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

She earned her law degree from Igbinedion University and later pursued a master’s degree in Film Production at Full Sail University in Florida.

In February 2025, Natasha became a topic of discussion in the media due to rumors regarding her relationship with the famous Nigerian musician Innocent “2Baba” Idibia.

Speculation about a romantic link arose amidst reports of difficulties in 2Baba’s marriage to Annie Idibia. However, Natasha’s spokesperson, Eseosa Okundia, quickly refuted these allegations, labeling them as baseless.

Even with Natasha’s denial, 2Baba publicly acknowledged his admiration for her, making it clear that she was not involved in his marital issues.