Joseph Nanven Garba was a Nigerian general, diplomat, and politician who served as president of the United Nations General Assembly from 1989 to 1990.

Garba rose through the ranks quickly: amongst his many military command posts were platoon commander of 44th Battalion in 1963, company commander from 1963 to 64, and mortar platoon commander in 1964.

He was made commander of the Brigade of Guards in 1968. He studied at Staff College, Camberley, England, in 1973.

Garba first came to national attention in Nigeria when, on July 29, 1975, he announced the coup d'état against his direct Boss and the leader of the country, General Yakubu Gowon.

Garba's speech, broadcast from Radio Nigeria, began with the following statement:

Garba was a close ally of Gowon. The coup was led by junior military officers unhappy at the lack of progress General Gowon had made in moving the country towards democratic rule, and Garba's role as an insider is credited with ensuring that the coup was bloodless. 

Garba and Gowon later reconciled to the extent that Gowon attended Garba's funeral in Langtang in 2002.