# List of presidents of Puntland

* Top left: Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is considered the first president of Puntland.
* Top right: Abdirahman Farole was fourth president of Puntland.
* Bottom left: Abdiweli Gaas was the fifth president and successor of Farole.
* Bottom right: Said Abdullahi Deni is the incumbent president.
The president of Puntland (Somali: Madaxaweynaha Dawladda Puntland) is the head of government of the Puntland State of Somalia. The president represents the government of Puntland. The office of president of Puntland was established with the proclamation of the Puntland State on 1 August 1998. The first president of Puntland was Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed. The current office-holder is the seventh president Said Abdullahi Deni, since 8 January 2024.

## List

In 2001, the first president, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, whose term was expiring, was ousted from the capital by the opposition for refusing to step down. The opposition held a shir (council) in November and elected Jama Ali Jama as president. Therefore, Jama Ali Jama is sometimes considered the second president of Puntland.
However, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed formed an army and, with Ethiopian support, expelled Jama Ali Jama from the capital in early 2002. Therefore, today, Somali media usually don't count Jama Ali Jama a Puntland president, and report Mohamed Abdi Hashi as the second president.
Therefore, Abdirahman Farole is the "fourth president," according to a document issued in 2018 by the Puntland Bureau of Statistics. And the current president of Puntland, Said Deni, writes in his Facebook page until 2023, "The 6th and Current President Of the Puntland State of Somalia", and from 2024, "The 7th and Current President Of the Puntland State of Somalia."
| No. | Portrait | Name (birth–death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Vice president | Election |
| No. | Portrait | Name (birth–death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Party | Vice president | Election |
| 1 | | Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed (1934–2012) | 1 August 1998 | 30 June 2001 | 2 years, 333 days | | Independent | Mohamed Abdi Hashi | 1998 |
| — | | Yusuf Haji Nur (?–2019) acting | 1 July 2001 | 14 November 2001 | 136 days | | Independent | Vacant | — |
| — | | Jama Ali Jama (born ?) acting | 14 November 2001 | 8 May 2002 | 175 days | | Independent | Ahmad Mahmud Gunle | 2001 |
| (1) | | Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed (1934–2012) | 8 May 2002 | 14 October 2004 | 2 years, 159 days | | Independent | Mohamed Abdi Hashi | — |
| 2 | | Mohamed Abdi Hashi (1950s–2020) ' | 14 October 2004 | 8 January 2005 | 86 days | | United Somali Party | Mohamed Ali Yusuf | ~ |
| 3 | | Mohamud Muse Hersi (1937–2017) | 8 January 2005 | 8 January 2009 | 4 years, 0 days | | Independent | Hassan Dahir Afqurac | 2005 |
| 4 | | Abdirahman Farole (born 1945) | 8 January 2009 | 8 January 2014 | 5 years, 0 days | | Horseed | Abdisamad Ali Shire | 2009 |
| 5 | | Abdiweli Gaas (born 1963) | 8 January 2014 | 8 January 2019 | 5 years, 0 days | | UDAD | Abdihakim Amey | 2014 |
| 6 | | Said Deni (1967–) | 8 January 2019 | (Incumbent) | (5 years, 217 days) | | Kaah | Ahmed Elmi Osman | 2019 |
| 7 | | Said Deni (1967–) | 8 January 2024 | Incumbent | 5 years, 217 days | | Kaah | Ilyas Osman Lugator | 2024 |