Mali vs Nigeria: Refugee population by country or territory of origin
Mali
519,738
in 2025
Nigeria
478,150
in 2025
Mali rank
11th
Nigeria rank
12th
Refugee population by country or territory of origin over time
- Mali
- Nigeria
How they compare
Mali currently reports 519,738 against 478,150 in Nigeria, a difference of 41,588.
That makes Mali's figure about 1.1 times Nigeria's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 35 shared years of data; in 1991 it was Mali ahead.
Mali ranks 11th and Nigeria ranks 12th of 205 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Mali averaged higher in 1 and Nigeria in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Mali | Nigeria | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 56,875 | 2,106 | 54,769 | Mali |
| 2000s | 1,240 | 16,371 | 15,131 | Nigeria |
| 2010s | 123,359 | 138,156 | 14,797 | Nigeria |
| 2020s | 282,761 | 413,967 | 131,206 | Nigeria |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher refugee population by country or territory of origin, Mali or Nigeria?
- Mali, at 519,738 against 478,150 in Nigeria as of 2025.
- What is the difference in refugee population by country or territory of origin between Mali and Nigeria?
- 41,588, with Mali ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Mali and Nigeria?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2025.
- How do Mali and Nigeria rank globally for refugee population by country or territory of origin?
- Mali ranks 11th and Nigeria ranks 12th of 205 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Refugee population by country or territory of origin. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.