Age dependency ratio in Nigeria
Nigeria: Age dependency ratio was 77.3% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Age dependency ratio in Nigeria, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
In 2025, age dependency ratio in Nigeria stood at 77.3%. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.9% on the previous year and down 13.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in Nigeria peaked at 95.0% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 77.3%, in 2025.
That places Nigeria 23rd out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 81.4% | 80.0% | 83.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 87.2% | 84.0% | 90.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 93.9% | 91.5% | 95.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 91.0% | 88.1% | 94.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 88.7% | 87.9% | 90.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 89.1% | 85.9% | 90.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.9% | 77.3% | 84.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More health data for Nigeria
- Age population, age 09, female, interpolated 3.10 million (2025)
- Age population, age 06, female, interpolated 3.15 million (2025)
- Age population, age 06, male, interpolated 3.23 million (2025)
- Age population, age 07, female, interpolated 3.13 million (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female 66.10 million (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total 96.25 million (2025)
- Age population, age 07, male, interpolated 3.22 million (2025)
- Age population, age 08, female, interpolated 3.11 million (2025)
- Age population, age 08, male, interpolated 3.21 million (2025)
- Age population, age 12, female, interpolated 2.98 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in Nigeria?
- Age dependency ratio in Nigeria was 77.3% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 95.0% in 1987.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 77.3% in 2025.
- How does Nigeria rank for age dependency ratio?
- Nigeria ranks 23rd out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.