Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Nigeria
Nigeria: Annual CO₂ emissions from coal was 3.05 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
3.05 million tonnes
Change on year
down 18.0%
World rank
72nd
of 179 countries
All-time high
3.72 million tonnes
in 2023
All-time low
7,328 tonnes
in 1968
Years of data
110
1915–2024
Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Nigeria, 1915–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual co₂ emissions from coal in Nigeria is 3.05 million tonnes, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 18.0% on the previous year and up 170.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual co₂ emissions from coal in Nigeria peaked at 3.72 million tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 7,328 tonnes, in 1968.
That places Nigeria 72nd out of 179 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1915 | 18,320 tonnes | — |
| 1916 | 65,952 tonnes | +260.0% |
| 1917 | 223,504 tonnes | +238.9% |
| 1918 | 399,376 tonnes | +78.7% |
| 1919 | 370,064 tonnes | -7.3% |
| 1920 | 487,312 tonnes | +31.7% |
| 1921 | 571,584 tonnes | +17.3% |
| 1922 | 304,112 tonnes | -46.8% |
| 1923 | 472,656 tonnes | +55.4% |
| 1924 | 542,272 tonnes | +14.7% |
| 1925 | 644,864 tonnes | +18.9% |
| 1926 | 875,696 tonnes | +35.8% |
| 1927 | 967,296 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 1928 | 967,296 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 930,656 tonnes | -3.8% |
| 1930 | 937,984 tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1931 | 883,024 tonnes | -5.9% |
| 1932 | 677,840 tonnes | -23.2% |
| 1933 | 633,872 tonnes | -6.5% |
| 1934 | 699,824 tonnes | +10.4% |
| 1935 | 696,160 tonnes | -0.5% |
| 1936 | 787,760 tonnes | +13.2% |
| 1937 | 978,288 tonnes | +24.2% |
| 1938 | 974,624 tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1939 | 820,736 tonnes | -15.8% |
| 1940 | 835,392 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1941 | 989,280 tonnes | +18.4% |
| 1942 | 1.24 million tonnes | +25.6% |
| 1943 | 1.36 million tonnes | +9.7% |
| 1944 | 1.66 million tonnes | +21.5% |
| 1945 | 1.38 million tonnes | -16.6% |
| 1946 | 1.64 million tonnes | +18.6% |
| 1947 | 1.56 million tonnes | -4.7% |
| 1948 | 1.64 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1949 | 1.48 million tonnes | -9.4% |
| 1950 | 1.73 million tonnes | +16.5% |
| 1951 | 1.13 million tonnes | -34.7% |
| 1952 | 1.57 million tonnes | +39.1% |
| 1953 | 1.73 million tonnes | +10.3% |
| 1954 | 1.73 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1955 | 1.75 million tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1956 | 1.86 million tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1957 | 1.93 million tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1958 | 2.23 million tonnes | +15.8% |
| 1959 | 1.80 million tonnes | -19.3% |
| 1960 | 1.45 million tonnes | -19.7% |
| 1961 | 1.48 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1962 | 1.60 million tonnes | +8.2% |
| 1963 | 1.42 million tonnes | -11.0% |
| 1964 | 1.73 million tonnes | +21.5% |
| 1965 | 1.87 million tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1966 | 1.69 million tonnes | -9.6% |
| 1967 | 740,128 tonnes | -56.3% |
| 1968 | 7,328 tonnes | -99.0% |
| 1969 | 58,624 tonnes | +700.0% |
| 1970 | 172,208 tonnes | +193.8% |
| 1971 | 549,662 tonnes | +219.2% |
| 1972 | 857,300 tonnes | +56.0% |
| 1973 | 802,357 tonnes | -6.4% |
| 1974 | 773,058 tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1975 | 593,568 tonnes | -23.2% |
| 1976 | 765,776 tonnes | +29.0% |
| 1977 | 703,386 tonnes | -8.1% |
| 1978 | 542,272 tonnes | -22.9% |
| 1979 | 458,000 tonnes | -15.5% |
| 1980 | 476,320 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 285,808 tonnes | -40.0% |
| 1982 | 161,216 tonnes | -43.6% |
| 1983 | 153,888 tonnes | -4.5% |
| 1984 | 201,520 tonnes | +31.0% |
| 1985 | 370,045 tonnes | +83.6% |
| 1986 | 296,784 tonnes | -19.8% |
| 1987 | 205,184 tonnes | -30.9% |
| 1988 | 161,216 tonnes | -21.4% |
| 1989 | 142,896 tonnes | -11.4% |
| 1990 | 164,880 tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1991 | 190,528 tonnes | +15.6% |
| 1992 | 139,221 tonnes | -26.9% |
| 1993 | 21,982 tonnes | -84.2% |
| 1994 | 65,945 tonnes | +200.0% |
| 1995 | 51,302 tonnes | -22.2% |
| 1996 | 21,984 tonnes | -57.1% |
| 1997 | 25,648 tonnes | +16.7% |
| 1998 | 32,976 tonnes | +28.6% |
| 1999 | 43,968 tonnes | +33.3% |
| 2000 | 157,552 tonnes | +258.3% |
| 2001 | 153,888 tonnes | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 135,563 tonnes | -11.9% |
| 2003 | 150,224 tonnes | +10.8% |
| 2004 | 150,224 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 172,202 tonnes | +14.6% |
| 2006 | 212,512 tonnes | +23.4% |
| 2007 | 300,448 tonnes | +41.4% |
| 2008 | 641,175 tonnes | +113.4% |
| 2009 | 641,200 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 641,200 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 677,821 tonnes | +5.7% |
| 2012 | 901,344 tonnes | +33.0% |
| 2013 | 1.13 million tonnes | +25.2% |
| 2014 | 1.13 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.18 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 1.24 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 1.07 million tonnes | -13.6% |
| 2018 | 1.25 million tonnes | +17.1% |
| 2019 | 1.27 million tonnes | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 1.50 million tonnes | +18.2% |
| 2021 | 3.05 million tonnes | +103.4% |
| 2022 | 3.20 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 3.72 million tonnes | +16.3% |
| 2024 | 3.05 million tonnes | -18.0% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 3.05 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 589,296 tonnes, 5.2× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 3.05 million tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 45,300 tonnes, 67.3× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual CO₂ emissions from coal in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | +700.0% | 7,328 tonnes | 58,624 tonnes |
| 1916 | +260.0% | 18,320 tonnes | 65,952 tonnes |
| 2000 | +258.3% | 43,968 tonnes | 157,552 tonnes |
| 1917 | +238.9% | 65,952 tonnes | 223,504 tonnes |
| 1971 | +219.2% | 172,208 tonnes | 549,662 tonnes |
| 1994 | +200.0% | 21,982 tonnes | 65,945 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 215,443 tonnes | 18,320 tonnes | 399,376 tonnes | 5 |
| 1920s | 676,374 tonnes | 304,112 tonnes | 967,296 tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 809,011 tonnes | 633,872 tonnes | 978,288 tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.38 million tonnes | 835,392 tonnes | 1.66 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.75 million tonnes | 1.13 million tonnes | 2.23 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.20 million tonnes | 7,328 tonnes | 1.87 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 621,759 tonnes | 172,208 tonnes | 857,300 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 245,488 tonnes | 142,896 tonnes | 476,320 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 75,843 tonnes | 21,982 tonnes | 190,528 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 271,499 tonnes | 135,563 tonnes | 641,200 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.05 million tonnes | 641,200 tonnes | 1.27 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.90 million tonnes | 1.50 million tonnes | 3.72 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More climate change data for Nigeria
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 608.40 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 66,810 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 24,814 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 41,996 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 93.64 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,500 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 22,614 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,292 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 15,322 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 27.52 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual co₂ emissions from coal in Nigeria?
- Annual co₂ emissions from coal in Nigeria was 3.05 million tonnes in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual co₂ emissions from coal recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 3.72 million tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest annual co₂ emissions from coal recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,328 tonnes in 1968.
- How does Nigeria rank for annual co₂ emissions from coal?
- Nigeria ranks 72nd out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual co₂ emissions from coal rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 170.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual CO₂ emissions from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 110 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from coal, measured in tonnes.