Forcibly displaced people in Nigeria
Nigeria: Forcibly displaced people was 3.64 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Forcibly displaced people in Nigeria, 2010–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 3.64 million for forcibly displaced people in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 73.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forcibly displaced people in Nigeria peaked at 3.74 million in 2022 and was at its lowest, 4,189, in 2012.
Nigeria ranks 10th of 180 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 1.51 million | 4,189 | 3.30 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.42 million | 2.80 million | 3.74 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More social development data for Nigeria
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 123,848 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 478,150 (2025)
- Physical Integrity Rights Score -1.66 (2019)
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin 56,176 (2025)
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum 18,192 (2025)
- Press freedom 1 (2016)
- Self-reported life satisfaction 4.79 (2025)
- Internally displaced people (IDP) by country or territory of asylum / 3.50 million (2025)
- Share of people agreeing with the statement "most people can be trusted" 13.0% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forcibly displaced people in Nigeria?
- Forcibly displaced people in Nigeria was 3.64 million in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest forcibly displaced people recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 3.74 million in 2022.
- What is the lowest forcibly displaced people recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,189 in 2012.
- How does Nigeria rank for forcibly displaced people?
- Nigeria ranks 10th out of 180 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forcibly displaced people rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 73.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Forcibly displaced people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Forcibly displaced people are represented by the sum of (1) refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), (2) refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), (3) asylum-seekers, (4) other people in need of international protection, and (5) internally displaced people (IDPs). Situations in which people are reported in more than one of these categories are accounted for, to the extent possible.