About a decade ago, only India had a leader who was aged 70 years and above among influential countries.
Gerontocracy, a state governed by old leaders, has become common not only in Africa but other parts of the world.
US President Joe Biden is the world’s most powerful leader, aged 70 and above.
The 81-year-old dropped out of his re-election race and supported his deputy Kamala Harris in the poll, which was won by Donald Trump.
Trump,78, will take over office on January 20, 2025, to take Biden’s position as the most powerful man above 70 years of age.
Biden said he dropped out of his re-election bid because he feared that the intraparty battle over his candidacy would be a real distraction for Democrats.
The US president said he had no serious problem with his health.
Biden assumed the presidency in 2021 at the age of 78, making him the oldest person to ever hold the office.
Before his presidency, Biden served as Vice President under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017.
He has been a United States Senator from Delaware since 1973 and has been a key figure in shaping the country’s foreign policy and national security.
Brazilian President Lula Da Silva is 77 years old.
Better known as Lula, he has been president of Brazil from 2003 to 2011 and from 2023.
Da Silva has been a key figure in Brazilian politics for decades, serving as a union leader and politician before becoming president.
He has been a strong advocate for social and economic reforms, and his presidency was marked by significant economic growth and poverty reduction.
Brazil is the largest and easternmost country in South America and Latin America.
It is the world's fifth-largest country by area and one of the most populated countries.
In 2023, Brazil ranked 11th biggest economy in the world.
Economists predict that by 2026, Brazil could rise to one position and become the eighth-largest economy on the planet.
Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina is aged 76.
She has been the Prime Minister of Bangladesh since 2009 and
has been a key figure in the country’s development and growth.
Hasina has been a strong advocate for women’s rights and has worked to improve the country’s healthcare and education systems.
Bangladesh's 2024 population is estimated at 173,562,364 people at mid-year.
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi - 73- years -old.
Modi is recognised for his strong stance on national
security and economic reforms during his time in office since 2014.
Modi has been a key figure in Indian politics for decades, serving as the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014.
He has been a strong advocate for economic growth and has implemented several key economic reforms, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the demonetization of high-denomination currency notes.
India is It is the world's fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and the third-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP).
Further, the Indian economy is projected to overtake both Japan and Germany in 2027 to become the third-largest economy.
India's 2024 population is estimated at 1,450,935,791 people at mid-year.
Nigeria’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu,71, leads the most populous country in Africa. As of 2023, the country counted over 223.8 million individuals.
Tinubu has played a significant role in Nigerian politics, focusing on economic growth and anti-corruption measures.
Tinubu has been a key figure in Nigerian politics for decades, serving as the Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.
He has been a strong advocate for economic growth and has worked to improve the country’s infrastructure and governance.
Vladimir Putin of Russia is 71 years old and has been a prominent figure in global politics, known for his assertive foreign policy and leadership style.
Putin has been a key figure in Russian politics for decades,
serving as President of Russia from 2000 to 2008 and again from 2012 to the
present. He has been a strong advocate for national security and has worked to
improve the country’s defence capabilities.
Russia is the largest country in Europe and also the largest in the world, its total size amounting to 17 million square kilometres.
Russia is one of the world's largest producers of nuclear energy.
China’s President Xi Jinping,70, has been instrumental in shaping China’s economic and foreign policies during his time in office.
Xi has been a key figure in Chinese politics for decades, serving as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 2012 to the present.
He has been a strong advocate for economic growth and has worked to improve the country’s infrastructure and governance.
China has emerged as an economic superpower that rivals the United States.