diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index fb6d661..6cbadc3 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -33,3 +33,13 @@
 # Defaults to "https://api.sendgrid.com" if not set.
 # Use "https://api.eu.sendgrid.com" for EU-based accounts.
 # SENDGRID_API_URL="https://api.sendgrid.com"
+
+# ADMIN OVERRIDE: Sets the single administrator account for the application.
+# On server startup, the system ensures that the user with this email is the
+# one and only administrator.
+# - If no admin exists, one will be created with this email.
+# - If an admin with a DIFFERENT email exists, they will be REMOVED and
+#   replaced by a new admin with this email.
+# - If an admin with this email already exists, nothing changes.
+# This provides a secure way to set or recover the admin account.
+# OVERRIDE_ADMIN_EMAIL="admin@example.com"
diff --git a/lib/src/config/environment_config.dart b/lib/src/config/environment_config.dart
index 0f9be7d..d65fc70 100644
--- a/lib/src/config/environment_config.dart
+++ b/lib/src/config/environment_config.dart
@@ -133,4 +133,10 @@ abstract final class EnvironmentConfig {
   ///
   /// Returns `null` if the `SENDGRID_API_URL` is not set.
   static String? get sendGridApiUrl => _env['SENDGRID_API_URL'];
+
+  /// Retrieves the override admin email from the environment, if provided.
+  ///
+  /// This is used to set or replace the single administrator account on startup.
+  /// Returns `null` if the `OVERRIDE_ADMIN_EMAIL` is not set.
+  static String? get overrideAdminEmail => _env['OVERRIDE_ADMIN_EMAIL'];
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/services/database_seeding_service.dart b/lib/src/services/database_seeding_service.dart
index 29b102a..7559967 100644
--- a/lib/src/services/database_seeding_service.dart
+++ b/lib/src/services/database_seeding_service.dart
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import 'package:core/core.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_news_app_api_server_full_source_code/src/config/environment_config.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_news_app_api_server_full_source_code/src/services/mongodb_token_blacklist_service.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_news_app_api_server_full_source_code/src/services/mongodb_verification_code_storage_service.dart';
 import 'package:logging/logging.dart';
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ class DatabaseSeedingService {
     _log.info('Starting database seeding process...');
 
     await _ensureIndexes();
+    await _seedOverrideAdminUser();
 
     await _seedCollection<Country>(
       collectionName: 'countries',
@@ -73,6 +75,120 @@ class DatabaseSeedingService {
     _log.info('Database seeding process completed.');
   }
 
+  /// Ensures the single administrator account is correctly configured based on
+  /// the `OVERRIDE_ADMIN_EMAIL` environment variable.
+  Future<void> _seedOverrideAdminUser() async {
+    _log.info('Checking for admin user override...');
+    final overrideEmail = EnvironmentConfig.overrideAdminEmail;
+
+    if (overrideEmail == null || overrideEmail.isEmpty) {
+      _log.info(
+        'OVERRIDE_ADMIN_EMAIL not set. Skipping admin user override.',
+      );
+      return;
+    }
+
+    final usersCollection = _db.collection('users');
+    final existingAdmin = await usersCollection.findOne(
+      where.eq('dashboardRole', DashboardUserRole.admin.name),
+    );
+
+    // Case 1: An admin exists.
+    if (existingAdmin != null) {
+      final existingAdminEmail = existingAdmin['email'] as String;
+      // If the existing admin's email is the same as the override, do nothing.
+      if (existingAdminEmail == overrideEmail) {
+        _log.info(
+          'Admin user with email $overrideEmail already exists and matches '
+          'override. No action needed.',
+        );
+        return;
+      }
+
+      // If emails differ, delete the old admin and their data.
+      _log.warning(
+        'Found existing admin with email "$existingAdminEmail". It will be '
+        'replaced by the override email "$overrideEmail".',
+      );
+      final oldAdminId = existingAdmin['_id'] as ObjectId;
+      await _deleteUserAndData(oldAdminId);
+    }
+
+    // Case 2: No admin exists, or the old one was just deleted.
+    // Create the new admin.
+    _log.info('Creating admin user for email: $overrideEmail');
+    final newAdminId = ObjectId();
+    final newAdminUser = User(
+      id: newAdminId.oid,
+      email: overrideEmail,
+      appRole: AppUserRole.standardUser,
+      dashboardRole: DashboardUserRole.admin,
+      createdAt: DateTime.now(),
+      feedActionStatus: Map.fromEntries(
+        FeedActionType.values.map(
+          (type) =>
+              MapEntry(type, const UserFeedActionStatus(isCompleted: false)),
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+
+    await usersCollection.insertOne(
+      {'_id': newAdminId, ...newAdminUser.toJson()..remove('id')},
+    );
+
+    // Create default settings and preferences for the new admin.
+    await _createUserSubDocuments(newAdminId);
+
+    _log.info('Successfully created admin user for $overrideEmail.');
+  }
+
+  /// Deletes a user and their associated sub-documents.
+  Future<void> _deleteUserAndData(ObjectId userId) async {
+    await _db.collection('users').deleteOne(where.eq('_id', userId));
+    await _db
+        .collection('user_app_settings')
+        .deleteOne(where.eq('_id', userId));
+    await _db
+        .collection('user_content_preferences')
+        .deleteOne(where.eq('_id', userId));
+    _log.info('Deleted user and associated data for ID: ${userId.oid}');
+  }
+
+  /// Creates the default sub-documents (settings, preferences) for a new user.
+  Future<void> _createUserSubDocuments(ObjectId userId) async {
+    final defaultAppSettings = UserAppSettings(
+      id: userId.oid,
+      displaySettings: const DisplaySettings(
+        baseTheme: AppBaseTheme.system,
+        accentTheme: AppAccentTheme.defaultBlue,
+        fontFamily: 'SystemDefault',
+        textScaleFactor: AppTextScaleFactor.medium,
+        fontWeight: AppFontWeight.regular,
+      ),
+      language: 'en',
+      feedPreferences: const FeedDisplayPreferences(
+        headlineDensity: HeadlineDensity.standard,
+        headlineImageStyle: HeadlineImageStyle.largeThumbnail,
+        showSourceInHeadlineFeed: true,
+        showPublishDateInHeadlineFeed: true,
+      ),
+    );
+    await _db.collection('user_app_settings').insertOne(
+      {'_id': userId, ...defaultAppSettings.toJson()..remove('id')},
+    );
+
+    final defaultUserPreferences = UserContentPreferences(
+      id: userId.oid,
+      followedCountries: const [],
+      followedSources: const [],
+      followedTopics: const [],
+      savedHeadlines: const [],
+    );
+    await _db.collection('user_content_preferences').insertOne(
+      {'_id': userId, ...defaultUserPreferences.toJson()..remove('id')},
+    );
+  }
+
   /// Seeds a specific collection from a given list of fixture data.
   Future<void> _seedCollection<T>({
     required String collectionName,