List of colonial governors in 1888

Belgium

 * Congo Free State
 * Camille Janssen, Governor-General of the Congo Free State (1886–1891)
 * Herman Ledeganck, acting Governor-General of the Congo Free State (1888–1889)

France

 * Obock and Tadjoura –
 * Léonce Lagarde, Governor of Obock and Tadjoura (1887–1888)
 * Renamed French Somaliland
 * French Somaliland
 * Renamed, previously Obock and Tadjoura
 * Léonce Lagarde, Governor of French Somaliland (1888–1899)
 * Riviéres du Sud – Jean-Marie Bayol, Lieutenant-Governor of Riviéres du Sud (1882–1891)

Portugal

 * Angola – Gilherme Auguste de Brito Capelo, Governor-General of Angola (1886–1892)

United Kingdom

 * British Virgin Islands – Edward John Cameron, Administrator of the British Virgin Islands (1887–1894)
 * Falkland Islands – Thomas Kerr, Governor of the Falkland Islands (1887–1891)
 * Malta Colony
 * Lintorn Simmons, Governor of Malta (1884–1888)
 * Henry Torrens, Governor of Malta (1888–1889)
 * New South Wales – Charles Wynn-Carington, Lord Lincolnshire, Governor of New South Wales (1885–1890)
 * Queensland – Sir Anthony Musgrave, Governor of Queensland (1883–1888)
 * Tasmania – Robert Hamilton, Governor of Tasmania (1887–1892)
 * South Australia – Sir William Robinson, Governor of South Australia (1883–1889)
 * Victoria – Henry, Lord Loch, Governor of Victoria (1884–1889)
 * Western Australia – Sir Frederick Broome, Governor of Western Australia (1883–1890)