Nigerian Dictionary of National Biography (NDNB.ng)
The Nigerian Dictionary of National Biography (NDNB.ng) is a curated, open-submission, continuously updated digital reference work that documents the lives of individuals whose actions, experiences, or influence are of biographical or historical significance to Nigeria and its communities.
NDNB includes both living and deceased persons from different periods, regions, communities and fields of endeavour. Significance may arise from achievement, contribution, influence, controversy, notoriety or participation in historically important events. It may be national, regional, state, local or disciplinary in scope. Inclusion records a person’s place in Nigeria’s biographical and historical experience; it does not constitute endorsement, celebration or approval.
An initiative of the Institute for Historical Studies, Biographical Research, Documentation and Legacy (IHS-BiRD & L), NDNB brings together historical research, biographical documentation, editorial review and digital technology. It provides concise, searchable, evidence-based biographies for students, researchers, educators, institutions, and the public.
Entries are prepared from credible sources and reviewed for accuracy, balance, relevance, clarity and compliance with NDNB’s editorial standards. Where evidence is incomplete, uncertain or conflicting, the available accounts are assessed carefully, and material uncertainty is acknowledged.
What This Project Does
NDNB.ng:
* Researches and publishes biographies of people whose lives are significant to Nigeria or any of its communities.
* Documents both achievement and consequence, including contributions, public service, intellectual work, cultural influence, controversy, failure, notoriety and participation in important events.
* Preserves biographical evidence from books, official records, newspapers, archives, institutional documents, interviews, oral histories, and local records.
* Provides a searchable digital reference, allowing users to locate biographies by name and other available information.
* Supports public contributions while subjecting every submission to independent research, verification and editorial review.
* Records lives of national and local significance, including people whose importance may not be reflected by fame, high office, wealth, awards or extensive media coverage.
* Makes biographical knowledge freely accessible without subscription or paywall barriers.
Except where otherwise indicated, NDNB’s published textual content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence, allowing it to be shared and reused with appropriate attribution. Photographs and other third-party materials remain subject to their respective copyright and licensing terms.
Why It Matters
Biography offers a way to understand history through individual lives. The experiences of political leaders, public servants, traditional rulers, scholars, professionals, artists, entrepreneurs, activists, community leaders and other significant persons reveal how Nigerian society has developed across different periods and places.
Much of Nigeria’s biographical information remains scattered across archives, newspapers, institutional records, family collections, oral testimony and local publications. Some records are difficult to access, while others risk being lost. NDNB brings this material together in an organised, publicly accessible reference system.
By documenting people from different regions, communities, generations and fields, NDNB contributes to a broader and more representative account of Nigeria’s past and present. It also provides a reliable starting point for further historical, academic, genealogical and institutional research.
Editorial Principles
NDNB’s work is guided by:
* accuracy and respect for evidence;
* balance and editorial independence;
* clear, concise and accessible writing;
* representative national, regional, state and local coverage;
* careful acknowledgement of uncertainty;
* proper attribution of contributors and sources; and
* human editorial responsibility for all published entries.
Vision
To develop an enduring, authoritative and openly accessible national biographical reference resource that preserves the diversity and complexity of Nigerian lives for present and future generations.
Mission
To research, document, verify, and publish biographies of individuals whose lives, actions, or experiences contribute to an understanding of Nigeria’s history, society, culture, and development.
Expected Impact
NDNB seeks to strengthen historical literacy, support education and research, preserve vulnerable biographical records and improve public access to reliable information about people connected to Nigeria’s history.
Through its digital platform, editorial standards and contributor network, the project is building a lasting biographical record that can support learning, scholarship, public memory and a deeper understanding of Nigeria and its communities.
Visit the project at www.ndnb.ng
Updated 19 September 2026
