Population, total in Nigeria
Nigeria: Population, total was 237.53 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
237.53 million
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
6th
of 218 countries
All-time high
237.53 million
in 2025
All-time low
45.05 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population, total in Nigeria, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population, total in Nigeria is 237.53 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 24.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, total in Nigeria peaked at 237.53 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 45.05 million, in 1960.
That places Nigeria 6th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population, total in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 45.05 million | — |
| 1961 | 45.99 million | +2.1% |
| 1962 | 46.97 million | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 47.97 million | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 49.01 million | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 50.09 million | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 51.19 million | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 52.29 million | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 53.43 million | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 54.63 million | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 55.89 million | +2.3% |
| 1971 | 57.21 million | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 58.60 million | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 60.08 million | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 61.68 million | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 63.41 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 65.26 million | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 67.23 million | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 69.33 million | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 71.50 million | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 73.76 million | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 76.07 million | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 78.38 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 80.44 million | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 82.53 million | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 84.90 million | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 87.24 million | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 89.59 million | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 92.02 million | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 94.53 million | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 97.12 million | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 99.72 million | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 102.37 million | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 105.12 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 107.94 million | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 110.82 million | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 113.75 million | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 116.75 million | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 119.85 million | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 123.05 million | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 126.38 million | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 129.86 million | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 133.47 million | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 137.20 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 141.06 million | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 145.02 million | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 149.08 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 153.27 million | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 157.59 million | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 162.05 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 166.64 million | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 171.38 million | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 176.20 million | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 181.05 million | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 185.90 million | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 190.67 million | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 195.44 million | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 200.25 million | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 204.94 million | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 209.49 million | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 214.00 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 218.53 million | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 223.15 million | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 227.88 million | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 232.68 million | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 237.53 million | +2.1% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 237.53 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.35 million, 19.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 237.53 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.96 million, 15.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 49.66 million | 45.05 million | 54.63 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 63.02 million | 55.89 million | 71.50 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 83.95 million | 73.76 million | 94.53 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 109.65 million | 97.12 million | 123.05 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 143.50 million | 126.38 million | 162.05 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 188.20 million | 166.64 million | 209.49 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 225.63 million | 214.00 million | 237.53 million | 6 |
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 population, total in Nigeria?
- Population, total in Nigeria was 237.53 million in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population, total recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 237.53 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population, total recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.05 million in 1960.
- How does Nigeria rank for population, total?
- Nigeria ranks 6th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population, total rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.