Nigeria vs South Africa: Population aged 15-24 years
Nigeria
48,808 thousands
in 2025
South Africa
10,513 thousands
in 2025
Nigeria rank
4th
South Africa rank
22nd
Population aged 15-24 years over time
- Nigeria
- South Africa
How they compare
Nigeria currently reports 48,808 thousands against 10,513 thousands in South Africa, a difference of 38,295 thousands.
That makes Nigeria's figure about 4.6 times South Africa's.
Across all 56 years both countries report, Nigeria has been ahead every year.
Nigeria ranks 4th and South Africa ranks 22nd of 226 countries.
Nigeria has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Nigeria | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11,169 thousands | 4,807 thousands | 6,362 thousands | Nigeria |
| 1980s | 14,799 thousands | 6,579 thousands | 8,220 thousands | Nigeria |
| 1990s | 20,918 thousands | 8,375 thousands | 12,543 thousands | Nigeria |
| 2000s | 27,625 thousands | 10,815 thousands | 16,810 thousands | Nigeria |
| 2010s | 35,174 thousands | 10,732 thousands | 24,441 thousands | Nigeria |
| 2020s | 44,963 thousands | 10,352 thousands | 34,611 thousands | Nigeria |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher population aged 15-24 years, Nigeria or South Africa?
- Nigeria, at 48,808 thousands against 10,513 thousands in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in population aged 15-24 years between Nigeria and South Africa?
- 38,295 thousands, with Nigeria ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and South Africa?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do Nigeria and South Africa rank globally for population aged 15-24 years?
- Nigeria ranks 4th and South Africa ranks 22nd of 226 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Population aged 15-24 years (thousands). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release