Annual growth rate of urban population share in Nigeria
Nigeria: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 1.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.3%
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
28th
of 236 countries
All-time high
3.9%
in 1958
All-time low
1.3%
in 2025
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Nigeria, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual growth rate of urban population share in Nigeria is 1.3%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in Nigeria peaked at 3.9% in 1958 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2025.
Nigeria ranks 28th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 76 years of available data.
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.5% | — |
| 1951 | 2.5% | +3.5% |
| 1952 | 2.7% | +6.8% |
| 1953 | 3.0% | +12.1% |
| 1954 | 3.4% | +11.1% |
| 1955 | 3.6% | +7.2% |
| 1956 | 3.8% | +4.6% |
| 1957 | 3.9% | +2.7% |
| 1958 | 3.9% | +1.1% |
| 1959 | 3.9% | -0.2% |
| 1960 | 3.9% | -1.3% |
| 1961 | 3.8% | -2.2% |
| 1962 | 3.7% | -3.3% |
| 1963 | 3.5% | -3.5% |
| 1964 | 3.5% | -2.1% |
| 1965 | 3.5% | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 3.4% | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 3.4% | -0.8% |
| 1968 | 3.4% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 3.3% | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 3.3% | -1.2% |
| 1971 | 3.3% | -1.3% |
| 1972 | 3.2% | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 3.2% | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 3.1% | -1.6% |
| 1975 | 3.1% | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 3.0% | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 2.9% | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 2.9% | -1.9% |
| 1979 | 2.8% | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 2.8% | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 2.7% | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 2.6% | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 2.6% | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 2.5% | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 2.4% | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 2.3% | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 2.3% | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 2.2% | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 2.1% | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 2.0% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 2.0% | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 2.0% | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 1.9% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 1.9% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | -6.8% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 1.6% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 1.6% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 1.6% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 1.5% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 1.5% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 1.4% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 1.3% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 1.3% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 1.3% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 1.3% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 1.3% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 1.3% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.3% | 2.5% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.5% | 3.3% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 25 South Sudan 1.4% compare
- 26 Mauritania 1.4% compare
- 27 Togo 1.3% compare
- 29 Guinea-Bissau 1.2% compare
- 30 Sierra Leone 1.2% compare
- 31 Maldives 1.2% compare
More population data for Nigeria
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0306 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0306 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1509 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 377,460 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.22 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5063 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Population density 523.46 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 32.05 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in Nigeria?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in Nigeria was 1.3% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 3.9% in 1958.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2025.
- How does Nigeria rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- Nigeria ranks 28th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth rate of urban population share. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average annual rate of change of the share of the population living in urban areas.