Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 2.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.1%
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
51st
of 215 countries
All-time high
3.1%
in 1980
All-time low
2.1%
in 2024
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Population growth in Nigeria, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2024, population growth in Nigeria stood at 2.1%. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Nigeria peaked at 3.1% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 2024.
Nigeria ranks 51st of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.3% | — |
| 1971 | 2.3% | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 2.4% | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 2.5% | +4.2% |
| 1974 | 2.6% | +5.2% |
| 1975 | 2.8% | +5.5% |
| 1976 | 2.9% | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 3.0% | +3.9% |
| 1978 | 3.1% | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 3.1% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 3.1% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 3.1% | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 3.0% | -2.7% |
| 1983 | 2.6% | -13.3% |
| 1984 | 2.6% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | +10.5% |
| 1986 | 2.7% | -4.1% |
| 1987 | 2.7% | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 2.7% | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 2.7% | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 2.6% | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 2.6% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 2.6% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 2.6% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 2.6% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 2.6% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 2.7% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 2.8% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.7% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 2.5% | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 2.5% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 2.4% | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -5.1% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 2.1% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 2.1% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 2.1% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 2.1% | -0.7% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 2.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.8%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 2.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 91% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.7% | 2.3% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.8% | 2.6% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
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)
- Population growth rate 0.023 (2100)
- Population density 523.46 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 32.05 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Nigeria?
- Population growth in Nigeria was 2.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 3.1% in 1980.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for population growth?
- Nigeria ranks 51st out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.2%. 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 Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release