Urban population, annual growth rate in Nigeria
Nigeria: Urban population, annual growth rate was 3.38 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Urban population, annual growth rate in Nigeria, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population, annual growth rate in Nigeria is 3.38 % change on previous year, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, annual growth rate in Nigeria peaked at 6.16 % change on previous year in 1978 and was at its lowest, 3.38 % change on previous year, in 2025.
That places Nigeria 36th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Urban population, annual growth rate in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.08 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 6.02 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 5.9 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 1964 | 5.8 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 1965 | 5.8 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 1966 | 5.78 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 5.71 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 1968 | 5.7 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 5.73 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 5.76 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 5.77 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 5.78 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 5.84 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 5.92 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 6.02 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 6.07 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 6.14 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 6.16 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 6.13 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 6.1 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 6 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 5.85 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 5.37 % change on previous year | -8.2% |
| 1984 | 5.28 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 5.5 % change on previous year | +4.3% |
| 1986 | 5.32 % change on previous year | -3.3% |
| 1987 | 5.21 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 5.16 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 5.12 % change on previous year | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 5.07 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 4.95 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 4.89 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 4.89 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4.86 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 4.83 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 4.78 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 4.75 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 4.73 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 4.73 % change on previous year | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 4.75 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 4.77 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 4.77 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4.76 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 4.74 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 4.71 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 4.66 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 4.53 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 4.53 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 4.5 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 4.48 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 4.46 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 4.4 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 4.32 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 4.22 % change on previous year | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 4.08 % change on previous year | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 3.99 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 3.92 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 3.78 % change on previous year | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 3.63 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 3.55 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 3.49 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 3.47 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 3.45 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 3.42 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 3.38 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.84 % change on previous year | 5.7 % change on previous year | 6.08 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.96 % change on previous year | 5.76 % change on previous year | 6.16 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.49 % change on previous year | 5.12 % change on previous year | 6.1 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.85 % change on previous year | 4.73 % change on previous year | 5.07 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.67 % change on previous year | 4.5 % change on previous year | 4.77 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.13 % change on previous year | 3.63 % change on previous year | 4.48 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.46 % change on previous year | 3.38 % change on previous year | 3.55 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 33 Zimbabwe 3.44 % change on previous year compare
- 34 Lesotho 3.4 % change on previous year compare
- 35 Georgia 3.4 % change on previous year compare
- 37 Guinea-Bissau 3.38 % change on previous year compare
- 38 Gambia 3.35 % change on previous year compare
- 39 Sierra Leone 3.33 % change on previous year 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 urban population, annual growth rate in Nigeria?
- Urban population, annual growth rate in Nigeria was 3.38 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 6.16 % change on previous year in 1978.
- What is the lowest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.38 % change on previous year in 2025.
- How does Nigeria rank for urban population, annual growth rate?
- Nigeria ranks 36th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.