Annual precipitation in Nigeria
Nigeria: Annual precipitation was 1,017 millimeters in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
1,017 millimeters
Change on year
up 3.3%
World rank
89th
of 192 countries
All-time high
1,320 millimeters
in 1980
All-time low
726.03 millimeters
in 1949
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Annual precipitation in Nigeria, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millimeters.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 1,017 millimeters for annual precipitation in 2025.
The figure is up 3.3% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual precipitation in Nigeria peaked at 1,320 millimeters in 1980 and was at its lowest, 726.03 millimeters, in 1949.
That places Nigeria 89th out of 192 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Annual precipitation in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | millimeters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 820.79 millimeters | — |
| 1941 | 829.52 millimeters | +1.1% |
| 1942 | 919.47 millimeters | +10.8% |
| 1943 | 807.95 millimeters | -12.1% |
| 1944 | 1,226 millimeters | +51.8% |
| 1945 | 1,017 millimeters | -17.1% |
| 1946 | 979.55 millimeters | -3.7% |
| 1947 | 1,319 millimeters | +34.6% |
| 1948 | 1,114 millimeters | -15.5% |
| 1949 | 726.03 millimeters | -34.8% |
| 1950 | 1,061 millimeters | +46.1% |
| 1951 | 1,220 millimeters | +15.0% |
| 1952 | 1,140 millimeters | -6.6% |
| 1953 | 1,090 millimeters | -4.4% |
| 1954 | 1,031 millimeters | -5.4% |
| 1955 | 1,134 millimeters | +10.0% |
| 1956 | 1,191 millimeters | +5.1% |
| 1957 | 1,279 millimeters | +7.4% |
| 1958 | 934.68 millimeters | -26.9% |
| 1959 | 900.54 millimeters | -3.7% |
| 1960 | 988.79 millimeters | +9.8% |
| 1961 | 929.32 millimeters | -6.0% |
| 1962 | 1,059 millimeters | +14.0% |
| 1963 | 997.78 millimeters | -5.8% |
| 1964 | 770.57 millimeters | -22.8% |
| 1965 | 883.29 millimeters | +14.6% |
| 1966 | 909.74 millimeters | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 1,172 millimeters | +28.8% |
| 1968 | 1,221 millimeters | +4.2% |
| 1969 | 1,237 millimeters | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 1,102 millimeters | -10.9% |
| 1971 | 1,161 millimeters | +5.4% |
| 1972 | 1,081 millimeters | -6.9% |
| 1973 | 1,097 millimeters | +1.4% |
| 1974 | 1,165 millimeters | +6.3% |
| 1975 | 1,172 millimeters | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 1,144 millimeters | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 989.77 millimeters | -13.5% |
| 1978 | 1,196 millimeters | +20.8% |
| 1979 | 1,224 millimeters | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 1,320 millimeters | +7.8% |
| 1981 | 1,129 millimeters | -14.4% |
| 1982 | 1,074 millimeters | -4.9% |
| 1983 | 866.41 millimeters | -19.3% |
| 1984 | 1,038 millimeters | +19.8% |
| 1985 | 1,189 millimeters | +14.5% |
| 1986 | 1,091 millimeters | -8.2% |
| 1987 | 1,061 millimeters | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 1,292 millimeters | +21.9% |
| 1989 | 1,088 millimeters | -15.8% |
| 1990 | 1,049 millimeters | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 1,181 millimeters | +12.6% |
| 1992 | 1,106 millimeters | -6.4% |
| 1993 | 1,041 millimeters | -5.9% |
| 1994 | 1,293 millimeters | +24.2% |
| 1995 | 1,169 millimeters | -9.6% |
| 1996 | 1,101 millimeters | -5.8% |
| 1997 | 1,079 millimeters | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 1,098 millimeters | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 1,242 millimeters | +13.2% |
| 2000 | 1,033 millimeters | -16.9% |
| 2001 | 997.79 millimeters | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 1,052 millimeters | +5.5% |
| 2003 | 1,008 millimeters | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 1,000 millimeters | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 989.07 millimeters | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 1,009 millimeters | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 1,040 millimeters | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 1,088 millimeters | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 1,036 millimeters | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 1,127 millimeters | +8.8% |
| 2011 | 985.77 millimeters | -12.6% |
| 2012 | 1,194 millimeters | +21.1% |
| 2013 | 1,054 millimeters | -11.7% |
| 2014 | 1,177 millimeters | +11.6% |
| 2015 | 1,031 millimeters | -12.4% |
| 2016 | 1,180 millimeters | +14.4% |
| 2017 | 1,053 millimeters | -10.7% |
| 2018 | 1,081 millimeters | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 1,264 millimeters | +16.9% |
| 2020 | 1,001 millimeters | -20.8% |
| 2021 | 888.83 millimeters | -11.2% |
| 2022 | 993.26 millimeters | +11.7% |
| 2023 | 976.24 millimeters | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 983.68 millimeters | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 1,017 millimeters | +3.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 1,017 millimeters is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,013 millimeters, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 1,017 millimeters is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 970.56 millimeters, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 975.92 millimeters | 726.03 millimeters | 1,319 millimeters | 10 |
| 1950s | 1,098 millimeters | 900.54 millimeters | 1,279 millimeters | 10 |
| 1960s | 1,017 millimeters | 770.57 millimeters | 1,237 millimeters | 10 |
| 1970s | 1,133 millimeters | 989.77 millimeters | 1,224 millimeters | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,115 millimeters | 866.41 millimeters | 1,320 millimeters | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,136 millimeters | 1,041 millimeters | 1,293 millimeters | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,025 millimeters | 989.07 millimeters | 1,088 millimeters | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,115 millimeters | 985.77 millimeters | 1,264 millimeters | 10 |
| 2020s | 976.56 millimeters | 888.83 millimeters | 1,017 millimeters | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 86 Cote d'Ivoire 1,035 millimeters compare
- 87 Italy 1,028 millimeters compare
- 88 Dominican Republic 1,019 millimeters compare
- 90 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,017 millimeters compare
- 91 Togo 1,013 millimeters compare
- 92 Eswatini 1,008 millimeters compare
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 precipitation in Nigeria?
- Annual precipitation in Nigeria was 1,017 millimeters in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual precipitation recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 1,320 millimeters in 1980.
- What is the lowest annual precipitation recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 726.03 millimeters in 1949.
- How does Nigeria rank for annual precipitation?
- Nigeria ranks 89th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual precipitation rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual precipitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total annual precipitation—rain and snow—calculated as the sum of daily averages, reported as the depth of water falling to Earth's surface, excluding fog and dew.