PopulationTracker

Nigeria population

Current population of Nigeria

242,935,504

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
4,400
Deaths today
1,576
Change today (UTC)
+2,792
World rank
6th of 218
2.89% of world population
Population
237,527,782
2025 estimate
Annual growth
+2.06%
2025
Density
250 /km²
2023
Land area
910,770 km²
Urban population
64%
2025
Median age
18.1 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
4.38
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
54.6 yrs
2024
Net migration
−15,258
2025
Capital
Abuja
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa

Population of Nigeria: overview

Nigeria has a population of 237,527,782 (2025 estimate), the 6th largest in the world — one of the ten most populous countries on Earth. Roughly 2.9% of humanity — about one in every 35 people on the planet — lives in Nigeria. Nigeria is part of the Sub-Saharan Africa region and its capital is Abuja.

The population is expanding quickly, at 2.06% per year. In absolute terms that meant roughly 4,848,304 additional people over the past year.

Population density is relatively high at about 250 people per km², spread across 910,770 km² of land. A slim urban majority has emerged, with 64% of people living in cities.

With a median age of just 18.1 years, Nigeria has one of the youngest populations in the world. Fertility remains high at 4.38 children per woman. Life expectancy at birth is 54.6 years (2024).

The UN projects strong growth ahead: 359.19 million people by 2050, about 51% more than today. The 2030 projection is 262,380,970.

Nigeria population, 1960–2025 and projections

075M150M225M300M375M19601980200020202040projected2025: 237.53M1960: 45,053,7821961: 45,989,3101962: 46,965,2921963: 47,973,5751964: 49,012,0161965: 50,086,7641966: 51,188,2341967: 52,293,0651968: 53,432,7831969: 54,631,9141970: 55,893,8381971: 57,214,6841972: 58,601,7481973: 60,082,1391974: 61,679,1441975: 63,410,8151976: 65,258,0091977: 67,234,5901978: 69,326,5321979: 71,498,2421980: 73,764,6411981: 76,068,1031982: 78,378,7011983: 80,438,2601984: 82,526,4431985: 84,897,9731986: 87,235,9531987: 89,591,7161988: 92,020,0901989: 94,531,0141990: 97,120,9251991: 99,720,1621992: 102,372,7701993: 105,122,0691994: 107,935,7141995: 110,819,4281996: 113,754,7791997: 116,754,7921998: 119,846,2541999: 123,047,3202000: 126,382,4942001: 129,862,5952002: 133,471,9892003: 137,202,6442004: 141,057,0452005: 145,017,2532006: 149,077,3342007: 153,267,2612008: 157,595,0142009: 162,049,4642010: 166,642,8862011: 171,379,5982012: 176,200,6252013: 181,049,4432014: 185,896,9152015: 190,671,8782016: 195,443,7002017: 200,254,5792018: 204,938,7552019: 209,485,6412020: 213,996,1812021: 218,529,2862022: 223,150,8962023: 227,882,9452024: 232,679,4782025: 237,527,7822030: 262,380,9702050: 359,185,556
Population of Nigeria by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
2025237,527,782+2.06%+4,848,304
2024232,679,478+2.08%+4,796,533
2023227,882,945+2.10%+4,732,049
2022223,150,896+2.09%+4,621,610
2021218,529,286+2.10%+4,533,105
2020213,996,181+2.13%+4,510,540
2019209,485,641+2.19%+4,546,886
2018204,938,755+2.31%+4,684,176
2017200,254,579+2.43%+4,810,879
2016195,443,700+2.47%+4,771,822
2015190,671,878+2.54%+4,774,963
2014185,896,915+2.64%+4,847,472
2010166,642,886+2.80%+4,593,422
2005145,017,253+2.77%+3,960,208
2000126,382,494+2.67%+3,335,174
1995110,819,428+2.64%+2,883,714
199097,120,925+2.70%+2,589,911
198584,897,973+2.83%+2,371,530
198073,764,641+3.12%+2,266,399
197563,410,815+2.77%+1,731,671
197055,893,838+2.28%+1,261,924
196550,086,764+2.17%+1,074,748
196045,053,782––

Recent years annually, earlier years at five-year steps. Annual change compares against the immediately preceding year.

Nigeria population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of Nigeria
YearProjected populationvs today
2030262,380,970+10.5%
2050359,185,556+51.2%

Nigeria population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 40.5% of Nigeria's population is under 15, 56.4% is of working age (15–64), and 3.1% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.

MaleFemale
0%2%2%4%4%6%6%8%8%0-4 male: 17,325,711 (7.3%)0-4 female: 16,895,417 (7.1%)0-45-9 male: 16,102,478 (6.8%)5-9 female: 15,645,312 (6.6%)10-14 male: 15,393,344 (6.5%)10-14 female: 14,883,338 (6.3%)10-1415-19 male: 13,685,202 (5.8%)15-19 female: 13,173,225 (5.5%)20-24 male: 11,610,583 (4.9%)20-24 female: 11,187,790 (4.7%)20-2425-29 male: 9,288,631 (3.9%)25-29 female: 8,968,537 (3.8%)30-34 male: 7,710,182 (3.2%)30-34 female: 7,452,206 (3.1%)30-3435-39 male: 6,527,658 (2.7%)35-39 female: 6,353,006 (2.7%)40-44 male: 5,708,828 (2.4%)40-44 female: 5,567,956 (2.3%)40-4445-49 male: 4,781,995 (2.0%)45-49 female: 4,690,833 (2.0%)50-54 male: 3,675,924 (1.5%)50-54 female: 3,663,772 (1.5%)50-5455-59 male: 2,793,994 (1.2%)55-59 female: 2,831,640 (1.2%)60-64 male: 2,108,916 (0.9%)60-64 female: 2,210,302 (0.9%)60-6465-69 male: 1,520,708 (0.6%)65-69 female: 1,642,872 (0.7%)70-74 male: 994,914 (0.4%)70-74 female: 1,104,949 (0.5%)70-7475-79 male: 572,619 (0.2%)75-79 female: 642,472 (0.3%)80-84 male: 274,055 (0.1%)80-84 female: 308,619 (0.1%)80-8485-89 male: 85,600 (0.0%)85-89 female: 103,740 (0.0%)90-94 male: 15,059 (0.0%)90-94 female: 21,463 (0.0%)90-9495-99 male: 1,282 (0.0%)95-99 female: 2,448 (0.0%)100+ male: 53 (0.0%)100+ female: 147 (0.0%)100+

Nigeria population FAQ

What is the population of Nigeria in 2026?

Nigeria's population is estimated at about 242.94 million in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 237,527,782 (2025). Nigeria ranks 6th in the world by population.

Is the population of Nigeria growing or shrinking?

Nigeria's population is growing at about 2.06% per year, an increase of roughly 4,848,304 people over the past year.

How densely populated is Nigeria?

Nigeria has about 250 people per square kilometre across a land area of 910,770 km².

What share of the world's population lives in Nigeria?

About 2.9% of the world's population lives in Nigeria — roughly one in every 35 people on Earth.

What is Nigeria's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put Nigeria's population at 359,185,556 in 2050, passing through 262,380,970 in 2030.

What is the median age in Nigeria?

The median age in Nigeria is 18.1 years (2025 estimate) — half the population is younger and half older than that.

Sources: World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0); median age and projections from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Live figures are estimates extrapolated from the latest official data — see methodology.