Nigeria’s President-elect Muhammadu Buhari is among four Nigerians listed by Time magazine as one of the world’s 100 most influential people.

Buhari is described as “A president-to-be who wants to leave a legacy to match the historic conditions of his election,” Time’s Aryn Baker.

Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, and #BringBackOurGirls campaigner Obiageli Ezekwesil also appear on the list.

Ms Adichie, 37, is hailed by the US magazine as a “creator of characters.”

She is also described as a “rare novelist who in the space of a year finds her words sampled by Beyonce, optioned by Lupita Nyong'o and honoured with the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.”

On Obiageli Ezekwesili, Ugandan aid worker Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe wrote: “It would have taken a long time to raise awareness about the girls taken by Boko Haram without her.”

And on Abubakar Shekau, retired US General Carter Ham wrote: “The citizens of Nigeria... know Abubakar Shekau all too well: He is the most violent killer their country has ever seen.”

The four Nigerians appear with three other Africans on the annual list. They include Sudanese aid worker Mustafa Hassan, Liberia’s Ebola-fighting doctor Jerry Brown and Tunisia’s President Beji Caid Essebsi.

•Photo shows Buhari.