# List of Ghanaian heads of state by age

This is a list of heads of state of Ghana by age.

## Overview

The youngest person to become head of state was Jerry Rawlings, who at the age of 31, assumed office following a coup d'état in 1979. The youngest civilian head of state to assume the presidency was Hilla Limann, who was inaugurated at the age of 44. The oldest person to assume the presidency is Nana Akufo-Addo who was inaugurated at age 72.
At age 34, Akwasi Afrifa was the youngest head of state at the end of his tenure. Fred Akuffo's lifespan of 42 years was the shortest of any head of state. The oldest head of state at the end of his tenure is also Nana Akufo-Addo at 80.
Akufo-Addo's second retirement, now 3 days, is currently the shortest, while Joseph Arthur Ankrah's retirement of 23 years is the longest in Ghana's history. At age 86, John Kufuor is the oldest of the three living heads of state, he is also the nation's longest-lived head of state. Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo are the only heads of state to have lived into their 80s. The youngest living head of state is John Mahama, age 66.

## List of heads of state by age at assuming office

This is a list of heads of state of Ghana by age at assuming office from the youngest to the oldest.
| Name | Date of birth | Date of death | Date and age at assuming office |
| Jerry Rawlings | 22 June 1947 | 12 November 2020 | 4 June 1979(1979-06-04) (aged 31) |
| Akwasi Afrifa | 24 April 1936 | 26 June 1979 | 2 April 1969(1969-04-02) (aged 32) |
| Jerry Rawlings | 22 June 1947 | 12 November 2020 | 31 December 1981(1981-12-31) (aged 34) |
| Ignatius Kutu Acheampong | 23 April 1931 | 16 June 1979 | 13 January 1972(1972-01-13) (aged 40) |
| Fred Akuffo | 21 March 1937 | 26 June 1979 | 5 July 1978(1978-07-05) (aged 41) |
| Hilla Limann | 12 December 1934 | 23 January 1998 | 24 September 1979(1979-09-24) (aged 44) |
| Joseph Arthur Ankrah | 18 August 1915 | 25 November 1992 | 24 February 1966(1966-02-24) (aged 50) |
| Kwame Nkrumah | 21 September 1909 | 27 April 1972 | 1 July 1960(1960-07-01) (aged 50) |
| John Mahama | 29 November 1958 | (living) | 24 July 2012(2012-07-24) (aged 53) |
| John Kufuor | 8 December 1938 | (living) | 7 January 2001(2001-01-07) (aged 62) |
| Edward Akufo-Addo | 26 June 1906 | 17 July 1979 | 31 August 1970(1970-08-31) (aged 64) |
| John Atta Mills | 21 July 1944 | 24 July 2012 | 7 January 2009(2009-01-07) (aged 64) |
| John Mahama | 29 November 1958 | (living) | 7 January 2025(2025-01-07) (aged 66) |
| Nana Akufo-Addo | 29 March 1944 | (living) | 7 January 2017(2017-01-07) (aged 72) |

## List of heads of state by longevity

This table shows heads of state by their longevity (living heads of state in gold).
| Rank | Head of state | Date of birth | Date of death | Longevity (Years, Days) | Longevity (Days) |
| 1 | John Kufuor | 8 December 1938 | Living | 86 years, 33 days | 31,445 days |
| 2 | Nana Akufo-Addo | 29 March 1944 | Living | 80 years, 287 days | 29,507 days |
| 3 | Joseph Arthur Ankrah | 18 August 1915 | 25 November 1992 | 77 years, 99 days | 28,224 days |
| 4 | Jerry Rawlings | 22 June 1947 | 12 November 2020 | 73 years, 143 days | 26,807 days |
| 5 | Edward Akufo-Addo | 26 June 1906 | 17 July 1979 | 73 years, 21 days | 26,684 days |
| 6 | John Atta Mills | 21 July 1944 | 24 July 2012 | 68 years, 3 days | 24,840 days |
| 7 | John Mahama | 29 November 1958 | Living | 66 years, 42 days | 24,149 days |
| 8 | Hilla Limann | 12 December 1934 | 23 January 1998 | 63 years, 42 days | 23,053 days |
| 9 | Kwame Nkrumah | 21 September 1909 | 27 April 1972 | 62 years, 219 days | 22,864 days |
| 10 | Ignatius Kutu Acheampong | 23 April 1931 | 16 June 1979 | 48 years, 54 days | 17,586 days |
| 11 | Akwasi Afrifa | 24 April 1936 | 26 June 1979 | 43 years, 63 days | 15,768 days |
| 12 | Fred Akuffo | 21 March 1937 | 26 June 1979 | 42 years, 97 days | 15,437 days |
| List of heads of state of Ghana | 12 |
| Living | 3 |
| Deceased | 9 |

## Ghanaian heads of state's ages

This table charts the age of each head of state of Ghana at the time of assuming office, upon leaving office, and at the time of death. Where the head of state is still living, their lifespan and post head of state timespan are calculated up to 10 January 2025.
| # | Head of state | Date of birth | Date of assuming office | Age at assuming office | End of term | Age at end of term | Length of retirement | Date of death | Lifespan |
| 1 | Kwame Nkrumah | 21 September 1909 | 1 July 1960 (1960-07-01) | 50 years, 284 days | 24 February 1966 (1966-02-24) | 56 years, 156 days | 6 years, 63 days | 27 April 1972 | 22,864 days (62 years, 219 days) |
| 2 | Joseph Arthur Ankrah | 18 August 1915 | 24 February 1966 (1966-02-24) | 50 years, 190 days | 2 April 1969 (1969-04-02) | 53 years, 227 days | 23 years, 237 days | 25 November 1992 | 28,224 days (77 years, 99 days) |
| 3 | Akwasi Afrifa | 24 April 1936 | 2 April 1969 (1969-04-02) | 32 years, 343 days | 7 August 1970 (1970-08-07) | 34 years, 105 days | 8 years, 323 days | 26 June 1979 | 15,768 days (43 years, 63 days) |
| 4 | Edward Akufo-Addo | 26 June 1906 | 31 August 1970 (1970-08-31) | 64 years, 66 days | 13 January 1972 (1972-01-13) | 65 years, 201 days | 7 years, 185 days | 17 July 1979 | 26,684 days (73 years, 21 days) |
| 5 | Ignatius Kutu Acheampong | 23 April 1931 | 13 January 1972 (1972-01-13) | 40 years, 265 days | 5 July 1978 (1978-07-05) | 47 years, 73 days | 346 days | 16 June 1979 | 17,586 days (48 years, 54 days) |
| 6 | Fred Akuffo | 21 March 1937 | 5 July 1978 (1978-07-05) | 41 years, 106 days | 4 June 1979 (1979-06-04) | 42 years, 75 days | 22 days | 26 June 1979 | 15,437 days (42 years, 97 days) |
| 7 | Jerry Rawlings | 22 June 1947 | 4 June 1979 (1979-06-04) | 31 years, 347 days | 24 September 1979 (1979-09-24) | 32 years, 94 days | 2 years, 98 days | 12 November 2020 | 26,807 days (73 years, 143 days) |
| 8 | Hilla Limann | 12 December 1934 | 24 September 1979 (1979-09-24) | 44 years, 286 days | 31 December 1981 (1981-12-31) | 47 years, 19 days | 16 years, 23 days | 23 January 1998 | 23,053 days (63 years, 42 days) |
| 9 | Jerry Rawlings | 22 June 1947 | 31 December 1981 (1981-12-31) | 34 years, 192 days | 7 January 2001 (2001-01-07) | 53 years, 199 days | 19 years, 310 days | 12 November 2020 | 26,807 days (73 years, 143 days) |
| 10 | John Kufuor | 8 December 1938 | 7 January 2001 (2001-01-07) | 62 years, 30 days | 7 January 2009 (2009-01-07) | 70 years, 30 days | 16 years, 3 days | (living) | 31,445 days (86 years, 33 days) |
| 11 | John Atta Mills | 21 July 1944 | 7 January 2009 (2009-01-07) | 64 years, 170 days | 24 July 2012 (2012-07-24) | 68 years, 3 days | 00,0010 days | 24 July 2012 | 24,840 days (68 years, 3 days) |
| 12 | John Mahama | 29 November 1958 | 24 July 2012 (2012-07-24) | 53 years, 238 days | 7 January 2017 (2017-01-07) | 58 years, 39 days | 8 years, 0 days | (living) | 24,149 days (66 years, 42 days) |
| 13 | Nana Akufo-Addo | 29 March 1944 | 7 January 2017 (2017-01-07) | 72 years, 284 days | 7 January 2025 (2025-01-07) | 80 years, 284 days | 3 days | (living) | 29,507 days (80 years, 287 days) |
| 14 | John Mahama | 29 November 1958 | 7 January 2025 (2025-01-07) | 66 years, 39 days | (incumbent) | (incumbent) | (incumbent) | (living) | 24,149 days (66 years, 42 days) |
| # | Head of state | Date of birth | Date of assuming office | Age at assuming office | End of term | Age at end of term | Length of retirement | Date of death | Lifespan |