Nigeria’s population stands at an estimated 216.6 million. Annual growth of 2.4 percent points to a future total near 376 million. Health indicators include life expectancy of 54.1 years and 108 under-five deaths per 1,000 live births.
Key Takeaways
- 2.18 million people live with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (2023 estimate)
- 15,000+ women give birth every day in Nigeria (high-level country estimate)
- Nigeria’s population is projected to reach 375.9 million by 2050 (UN DESA projection)
- Nigeria had 19.0 million births in 2022 (UNICEF/UN estimates, country monitoring dataset)
- Nigeria had 1.5 million births to adolescents aged 15–19 in 2020 (UNICEF dataset)
- Nigeria’s under-five mortality rate was 108 deaths per 1,000 live births (UN IGME/UNICEF, latest available)
- Nigeria’s percentage of population using at least basic drinking water is 68% (JMP, latest available)
- Nigeria’s food insecurity affects 30.4% of the population (IPC analysis, latest available period)
- Nigeria’s Gini coefficient is 35.1 (World Bank, latest available)
- Nigeria’s primary school net enrollment rate is 59.7% (World Bank, latest available)
- Nigeria’s lower secondary net enrollment rate is 42.1% (World Bank, latest available)
- Nigeria’s gross enrollment ratio in tertiary education is 10.7% (World Bank, latest available)
- Nigeria’s rural population share is 47% (UN DESA, latest estimate)
- Nigeria has a net international migration rate of 0.2 per 1,000 population (World Bank, latest available)
- Nigeria hosts about 2.0 million refugees and asylum-seekers (UNHCR, latest available)
Nigeria is growing fast and urbanizing, with 2.18 million living with HIV in 2023 and projections toward 375.9 million by 2050.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics12 stats
01
2.18 million people live with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (2023 estimate)
02
15,000+ women give birth every day in Nigeria (high-level country estimate)
03
Nigeria’s population is projected to reach 375.9 million by 2050 (UN DESA projection)
04
Nigeria had 26.0 million children under age 5 in 2019 (UNICEF data)
05
Nigeria is projected to have a median age of 19.5 years by 2050 (UN DESA projection)
06
Nigeria’s urban population is projected to rise from 49.9 million (2010) to 317.3 million (2050) (UN DESA)
07
Nigeria’s youth (ages 15–24) numbered about 37.3 million in 2021 (UN DESA, youth population dataset)
08
Nigeria’s population is estimated at about 216.6 million in 2024 (UN DESA estimate)
09
Nigeria’s population density is about 230 people per square kilometer (World Bank, latest available)
10
Nigeria’s total fertility rate is 5.3 births per woman (World Bank, latest available)
11
Nigeria’s population growth rate is 2.4% (World Bank, latest available)
12
Nigeria’s life expectancy at birth is 54.1 years (World Bank, latest available)
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
Nigeria’s demographics are set for rapid growth and youthful expansion, with the population projected to reach 375.9 million by 2050 and a median age of 19.5 years, alongside huge scale need for children and health services such as 26.0 million children under age 5 in 2019 and 15,000+ births every day.
02 · Category
Health & Wellbeing5 stats
01
Nigeria had 19.0 million births in 2022 (UNICEF/UN estimates, country monitoring dataset)
02
Nigeria had 1.5 million births to adolescents aged 15–19 in 2020 (UNICEF dataset)
03
Nigeria’s under-five mortality rate was 108 deaths per 1,000 live births (UN IGME/UNICEF, latest available)
04
Nigeria had 1.1 million malaria-related deaths (modelled estimate, latest available)
05
Nigeria’s immunization coverage (DPT-containing vaccine, 3 doses) is 46% (World Bank, latest available)
Interpretation
Health & Wellbeing Interpretation
Despite major health needs, Nigeria’s wellbeing indicators show both progress and risk, with DPT3 immunization at 46% while the under five mortality rate remains high at 108 deaths per 1,000 live births and malaria still accounts for about 1.1 million deaths.
04 · Category
Labor & Education5 stats
01
Nigeria’s primary school net enrollment rate is 59.7% (World Bank, latest available)
02
Nigeria’s lower secondary net enrollment rate is 42.1% (World Bank, latest available)
03
Nigeria’s gross enrollment ratio in tertiary education is 10.7% (World Bank, latest available)
04
Nigeria’s school life expectancy is 10.4 years (World Bank, latest available)
05
Nigeria’s pupil-teacher ratio (primary) is 40 (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, latest available)
Interpretation
Labor & Education Interpretation
Nigeria’s Labor and Education outlook is constrained by low educational participation, with only 59.7% of children in primary school and 42.1% reaching lower secondary, leaving just 10.7% enrolled in tertiary education.
05 · Category
Urbanization & Migration6 stats
01
Nigeria’s rural population share is 47% (UN DESA, latest estimate)
02
Nigeria has a net international migration rate of 0.2 per 1,000 population (World Bank, latest available)
03
Nigeria hosts about 2.0 million refugees and asylum-seekers (UNHCR, latest available)
04
Nigeria has 1,000+ communities affected by internal displacement across states (IDMC, latest available narrative and country profile)
05
Kaduna has 8.8 million people (2022 estimate for Kaduna State, UN/WorldPop WPP-style)
06
Nigeria’s largest city by population is Lagos, with about 14.8 million people (2022 estimate)
Interpretation
Urbanization & Migration Interpretation
With Nigeria still having 47% of its population in rural areas, while hosting about 2.0 million refugees and asylum seekers and having internal displacement across 1,000 plus communities, the country’s migration and mobility pressures are significant even as major cities like Lagos reach around 14.8 million people, pointing to sustained urbanization tied to movement.
06 · Category
Population & Internet4 stats
01
Nigeria had 104.9 million Facebook users (NapoleonCat estimate for Nigeria, latest available)
02
Nigeria had 99.6 million WhatsApp users (NapoleonCat estimate for Nigeria, latest available)
03
Nigeria had 44.2 million Instagram users (NapoleonCat estimate for Nigeria, latest available)
04
Nigeria has 73.2 million people using social media on mobile devices (DataReportal, latest available)
Interpretation
Population & Internet Interpretation
With 73.2 million Nigerians using social media on mobile devices alongside 104.9 million Facebook and 99.6 million WhatsApp users, the data strongly suggests that social platforms are widely reached through mobile internet across the country.
More related reading
07 · Category
Population & Migration2 stats
01
1.1 million refugees and asylum-seekers were hosted in Nigeria (UNHCR, 2024 country-level refugee statistics)
02
54.7% of Nigeria’s total land area was classified as urban in 2020 (World Bank Urbanization by city built-up area dataset; share of land area)
Interpretation
Population & Migration Interpretation
Nigeria hosts 1.1 million refugees and asylum-seekers, while 54.7% of its land was urban as of 2020, underscoring how migration pressures intersect with rapid urbanization in the Population and Migration landscape.
08 · Category
Vital Statistics2 stats
01
5.4 million Nigerians were born in 2022 (UN/UNICEF estimates of live births by country; country monitoring)
02
47.7% of Nigeria’s population was female in 2022 (UN DESA population by sex estimate)
Interpretation
Vital Statistics Interpretation
In Nigeria’s vital statistics, 5.4 million live births were recorded in 2022, and with women making up 47.7% of the population, the country’s demographic momentum is strongly reflected in its birth numbers and gender balance.
09 · Category
Health & Mortality2 stats
01
59.3 deaths per 1,000 live births occurred among children under age 5 in Nigeria in 2021 (IHME GBD 2021 under-5 mortality rate)
02
11.3% of households in Nigeria experienced catastrophic health expenditure in 2020 (WHO Global Health Expenditure Database analysis; catastrophic expenditure share)
Interpretation
Health & Mortality Interpretation
In Nigeria, child mortality remains high at 59.3 deaths per 1,000 live births for children under 5 in 2021 while 11.3% of households faced catastrophic health spending in 2020, showing how health and mortality pressures go hand in hand.
10 · Category
Education & Skills1 stats
01
14.3% of Nigeria’s youth aged 15–24 were in employment (unemployment/employment structure, ILOSTAT labor force survey modelled estimate)
Interpretation
Education & Skills Interpretation
In the Education and Skills lens, only 14.3% of Nigeria’s youth aged 15 to 24 are in employment, underscoring how weak skills to work transitions may be limiting young people’s opportunities.
11 · Category
Infrastructure & Economy2 stats
01
72.6% of Nigeria’s population had access to an electricity grid connection in 2022 (World Bank enterprise surveys / WDI access to electricity indicator)
02
25.1% of Nigeria’s population lived in households with access to a fixed telephone in 2023 (ITU country indicators for fixed telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants)
Interpretation
Infrastructure & Economy Interpretation
From an Infrastructure and Economy perspective, Nigeria remains far from universal connectivity as only 72.6% had access to the electricity grid in 2022 while just 25.1% lived in households with a fixed telephone connection in 2023.
report visual · Projection
Nigeria’s population is projected to keep growing
UN projections show Nigeria’s population rising from the mid-2000s to 2050.
2.2 people (millions)
Start
+21.01%
CAGR · 27y
376 people (millions)
Projected
20242051
source-verifiedpopulation.un.org · unaids.org2050
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). Nigeria Population Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nigeria-population-statistics
MLA
Gabrielle Fontaine. "Nigeria Population Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/nigeria-population-statistics.
Chicago
Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "Nigeria Population Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nigeria-population-statistics.
Sources & references
46 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+28 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)