Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Nigeria
Nigeria: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 7.0% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Nigeria, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of urban population who live in the largest city in Nigeria is 7.0%, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Nigeria peaked at 8.2% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 1950.
Nigeria ranks 172nd of 179 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.7% | — |
| 1955 | 3.2% | +21.0% |
| 1960 | 4.1% | +28.5% |
| 1965 | 4.9% | +19.1% |
| 1970 | 5.1% | +4.5% |
| 1975 | 5.8% | +12.1% |
| 1980 | 6.4% | +11.8% |
| 1985 | 7.3% | +12.9% |
| 1990 | 8.0% | +10.7% |
| 1995 | 8.2% | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 8.1% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 7.9% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 7.6% | -3.6% |
| 2015 | 7.2% | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 7.0% | -3.6% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 7.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 24.9%, 28% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 7.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.9%, 24% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.9% | 2.7% | 3.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 4.5% | 4.1% | 4.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 5.4% | 5.1% | 5.8% | 2 |
| 1980s | 6.9% | 6.4% | 7.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 8.1% | 8.0% | 8.2% | 2 |
| 2000s | 8.0% | 7.9% | 8.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 7.2% | 7.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More population data for Nigeria
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1509 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0306 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 32.05 million people (2100)
- Population density 523.46 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Nigeria?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Nigeria was 7.0% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 8.2% in 1995.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 1950.
- How does Nigeria rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Nigeria ranks 172nd out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.