Ferdinando Martini (30 July 1840 – 24 April 1928) was an Italian writer and politician.

He collaborated with Il Fanfulla and in 1879 he founded the Fanfulla della domenica literary supplement, for which he was editor until 1882; he was also editor of La Domenica letteraria from 1882 until 1885 and professor at the University of Pisa.

In 1876 he was elected to the Parliament of the Kingdom of Italy, a position he held for 43 years.

Martini was also governor of Eritrea from 1897 to 1907, a country that received[clarification needed] the name from him.

In 1920 he wrote his famous literary masterpiece, about his years as governor of Eritrea:Il Diario Eritreo.