Fertility rate, total in Nigeria
Nigeria: Fertility rate, total was 4.48 births per woman in 2023. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate, total in Nigeria, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate, total in Nigeria is 4.48 births per woman, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and down 21.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in Nigeria peaked at 6.92 births per woman in 1978 and was at its lowest, 4.48 births per woman, in 2023.
Nigeria ranks 15th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.72 births per woman | 6.47 births per woman | 6.92 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.66 births per woman | 6.49 births per woman | 6.85 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.27 births per woman | 6.07 births per woman | 6.46 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.07 births per woman | 5.99 births per woman | 6.13 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.49 births per woman | 4.86 births per woman | 5.95 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.59 births per woman | 4.48 births per woman | 4.7 births per woman | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 12 Tanzania, United Republic of 4.61 births per woman compare
- 13 Yemen 4.59 births per woman compare
- 14 Benin 4.56 births per woman compare
- 16 Sudan 4.32 births per woman compare
- 17 Cameroon 4.32 births per woman compare
- 18 Côte d'Ivoire 4.28 births per woman compare
- 18 Uganda 4.28 births per woman compare
More population data for Nigeria
- Population growth rate by level of development 0.023 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 32.05 million (2100)
- Population density 523.46 (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.023 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5063 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.22 Percent per annum (2030)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 377,460 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 2.22 % change on previous year (2030)
- Fertility and wanted fertility 4.38 (2024)
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum 96,387 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in Nigeria?
- Fertility rate, total in Nigeria was 4.48 births per woman in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 6.92 births per woman in 1978.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.48 births per woman in 2023.
- How does Nigeria rank for fertility rate, total?
- Nigeria ranks 15th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release