Official Cars Used By Muhammadu Buhari During His Rule As Nigerian President, Military Head Of State

Official cars used by Muhammadu Buhari during his rule as Nigerian President and Military Head of State.

During his stint as Military Head of State, Buhari used a Volkswagen Santana as well as Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W126) as official cars. 

President Buhari depended on armored Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, Audi A8L, Lexus LX570 and Toyota Land Cruiser during his 8 years rule. 

Nigeria mourns as former President Muhammadu Buhari passes on at the age of 82. According to his former spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari died on Sunday July 13th 2025 at a London hospital in the United Kingdom.

“The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus,” Shehu’s statement read.

While arrangements are on to bring the deceased back to Nigeria, Autojosh looks back to some of the official cars used by Muhammadu Buhari during his rule as Nigerian President and a Military Head Of State.

The then-Major General Muhammadu Buhari came to power following the overthrow of Shehu Shagari’s government in a military coup on 31 December 1983 – ending the Second Nigerian Republic.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W126)

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During his short stint as Military Head of State of Nigeria (31 December 1983 – 27 August 1985), Buhari used a Volkswagen Santana as his official car as well as Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W126) he inherited from Shagari for special occasions.

The 15th President of Nigeria depended on armored Mercedes-Maybach S-Class luxury sedans, Audi A8L and rarely seen armored Lexus LX570 and Toyota Land Cruiser LC 200 SUVs during his 8 years rule as Nigerian president.

Buhari arrived at his inauguration ceremony in 2019 in a brand new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class (S650), replacing the Mercedes-Maybach S560 model he inherited from ex-president Goodluck Jonathan four years earlier.

To review passing-out parades and to inspect the guard of honour during Democracy Day celebrations at the Eagle Square in Abuja, Buhari rode in a customized ceremonial parade vehicle based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV (G-Wagon).

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