What is population growth rate in Nigeria?

Population growth rate in Nigeria was 2.1% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Nigeria?

The highest recorded value was 3.1% in 1980.

What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Nigeria?

The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1953.

How does Nigeria rank for population growth rate?

Nigeria ranks 50th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.

Is population growth rate rising or falling in Nigeria?

Over the last ten years it is down 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Nigeria data come from?

The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Population growth rate in Nigeria

Name: Population growth rate in Nigeria
Creator: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Nigeria: Population growth rate was 2.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)

2.1%

Change on year

down 0.2%

World rank

50th

of 236 countries

All-time high

3.1%

in 1980

All-time low

1.8%

in 1953

Years of data

1950–2023

Population growth rate in Nigeria, 1950–2023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Nigeria recorded 2.1% for population growth rate in 2023.

That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 21.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population growth rate in Nigeria peaked at 3.1% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1953.

Nigeria ranks 50th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1950s	1.9%	1.8%	2.0%	10
1960s	2.1%	2.0%	2.2%	10
1970s	2.7%	2.3%	3.1%	10
1980s	2.8%	2.2%	3.1%	10
1990s	2.6%	2.6%	2.7%	10
2000s	2.8%	2.7%	2.8%	10
2010s	2.5%	2.2%	2.8%	10
2020s	2.1%	2.1%	2.1%	4

Countries ranked near Nigeria

47 Gabon 2.2% compare
48 Rwanda 2.2% compare
49 Iraq 2.1% compare
51 Uzbekistan 2.0% compare
52 Sao Tome and Principe 2.0% compare
53 Kenya 2.0% compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for Nigeria

Literate and illiterate world population 29.6% (2024)

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is population growth rate in Nigeria?: Population growth rate in Nigeria was 2.1% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Nigeria?: The highest recorded value was 3.1% in 1980.
What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Nigeria?: The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1953.
How does Nigeria rank for population growth rate?: Nigeria ranks 50th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is population growth rate rising or falling in Nigeria?: Over the last ten years it is down 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?: The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Population growth rate
Unit: %
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

The annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.