Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Nigeria
Nigeria: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate was 3.38 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
3.38 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
32nd
of 234 countries
All-time high
6.16 % change on previous year
in 1978
All-time low
3.38 % change on previous year
in 2025
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Nigeria, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Nigeria is 3.38 % change on previous year, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Nigeria peaked at 6.16 % change on previous year in 1978 and was at its lowest, 3.38 % change on previous year, in 2025.
That places Nigeria 32nd out of 234 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 75 years of available data.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 4.5 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 4.59 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 4.83 % change on previous year | +5.3% |
| 1954 | 5.22 % change on previous year | +7.9% |
| 1955 | 5.54 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 1956 | 5.77 % change on previous year | +4.2% |
| 1957 | 5.93 % change on previous year | +2.7% |
| 1958 | 5.98 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1959 | 6.03 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 6.1 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 1961 | 6.08 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1962 | 6.02 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 5.9 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 1964 | 5.8 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 1965 | 5.8 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 1966 | 5.78 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 5.71 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 1968 | 5.7 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 5.73 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 5.76 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 5.77 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 5.78 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 5.84 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 5.92 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 6.02 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 6.07 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 6.14 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 6.16 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 6.13 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 6.1 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 6 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 5.85 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 5.37 % change on previous year | -8.2% |
| 1984 | 5.28 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 5.5 % change on previous year | +4.3% |
| 1986 | 5.32 % change on previous year | -3.3% |
| 1987 | 5.21 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 5.16 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 5.12 % change on previous year | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 5.07 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 4.95 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 4.89 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 4.89 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4.86 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 4.83 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 4.78 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 4.75 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 4.73 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 4.73 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 4.75 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 4.77 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 4.77 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4.76 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 4.74 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 4.71 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 4.66 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 4.53 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 4.53 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 4.5 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 4.48 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 4.46 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 4.4 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 4.32 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 4.22 % change on previous year | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 4.08 % change on previous year | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 3.99 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 3.92 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 3.78 % change on previous year | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 3.63 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 3.55 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 3.49 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 3.47 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 3.45 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 3.42 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 3.38 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 3.38 % change on previous year is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.77 % change on previous year, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 3.38 % change on previous year is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.42 % change on previous year, 99% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.38 % change on previous year | 4.5 % change on previous year | 6.03 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 5.86 % change on previous year | 5.7 % change on previous year | 6.1 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.96 % change on previous year | 5.76 % change on previous year | 6.16 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.49 % change on previous year | 5.12 % change on previous year | 6.1 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.85 % change on previous year | 4.73 % change on previous year | 5.07 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.67 % change on previous year | 4.5 % change on previous year | 4.77 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.13 % change on previous year | 3.63 % change on previous year | 4.48 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.46 % change on previous year | 3.38 % change on previous year | 3.55 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 29 Togo 3.52 % change on previous year compare
- 30 Zimbabwe 3.44 % change on previous year compare
- 31 Lesotho 3.4 % change on previous year compare
- 33 Guinea-Bissau 3.38 % change on previous year compare
- 34 Gambia 3.35 % change on previous year compare
- 35 Sierra Leone 3.33 % change on previous year 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 number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Nigeria?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in Nigeria was 3.38 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 6.16 % change on previous year in 1978.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.38 % change on previous year in 2025.
- How does Nigeria rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate?
- Nigeria ranks 32nd out of 234 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.