Following the death of Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari on July 13, 2025, at a London clinic, conversations about his wealth and assets have resurfaced. Buhari, who was 82, was renowned for his anti-corruption rhetoric and insistence that he lived a modest life free from embezzlement.

Buhari’s Declared Net Worth and Assets

Buhari first declared his assets publicly in 2015 when he assumed office as Nigeria’s democratically elected president. His declaration surprised many Nigerians due to the modest nature of his wealth compared to expectations from someone who had been a military Head of State and later a two-term president.

As of 2015, his declared assets included:

  • ₦30 million in a Union Bank account

  • Mud houses inherited from family in his hometown, Daura

  • Residential properties in Kaduna, Daura, Kano, and Abuja

  • Farms with 270 cattle, 25 sheep, 5 horses, various birds, and economic trees

  • Shares in companies such as Berger Paints, Union Bank, and the now-defunct Skye Bank

  • Two undeveloped plots of land — one in Kaduna, another in Port Harcourt

  • Two cars purchased with personal savings, plus others received as gifts or from his time as former Head of State

His spokesperson, Garba Shehu, consistently affirmed that Buhari held no foreign accounts, owned no companies, factories, or oil wells, and had no properties outside Nigeria.

Net Worth Status After 8 Years in Power

By January 2023, just months before leaving office, Buhari publicly stated that his assets remained the same as when he declared them in 2015. At a banquet in his honour in Damaturu, Yobe State, he declared:

"I have not acquired new properties; I still don’t own anything outside Nigeria."

After his presidency, Buhari reportedly returned to his farm, living off the proceeds of his agricultural ventures.

Buhari’s Family Wealth and Debunked Rumours

There were viral claims in 2019 alleging that Buhari’s children were worth $2.3 billion and listed among the richest presidential children globally. However, Forbes debunked the claims, stating that the platform never compiled such a list. At the time, Forbes only recognised four Nigerian billionaires — Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Folorunsho Alakija.

Final Note

With Buhari’s passing, debates about his personal wealth, transparency, and legacy remain active in Nigeria’s public discourse. While his critics question his governance record, his supporters continue to view him as a rare example of modest living among Nigerian elites.

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