Nigeria Population (LIVE)

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Nigeria Population (1950 - 2026)

Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Nigeria is 241,251,257 as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.
  • Nigeria 2026 population is estimated at 242,431,832 people at mid-year.
  • Nigeria population is equivalent to 2.92% of the total world population.
  • Nigeria ranks number 6 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Nigeria is 266 per Km² (689 people per mi²).
  • The total land area is 910,770 Km² (351,650 sq. miles).
  • 55.80% of the population is urban (135,288,691 people in 2026)
  • The median age in Nigeria is 18.3 years.
1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of Nigeria (2026 and historical)

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population Nigeria Global Rank
2026 242,431,832 2.06% 4,904,050 −2,810 18.3 4.21 266 55.8% 135,288,691 2.92% 8,300,678,395 6
2025 237,527,782 2.08% 4,848,304 −15,258 18.1 4.3 261 54.9% 130,312,056 2.89% 8,231,613,070 6
2024 232,679,478 2.1% 4,796,533 −35,202 17.9 4.38 255 53.9% 125,447,884 2.85% 8,161,972,572 6
2023 227,882,945 2.12% 4,732,049 −57,936 17.8 4.48 250 53% 120,696,717 2.82% 8,091,734,930 6
2022 223,150,896 2.12% 4,577,358 −51,680 17.6 4.55 245 52% 116,057,853 2.78% 8,021,407,192 6
2020 213,996,181 2.33% 4,664,861 −14,497 17.2 4.7 235 50.1% 107,112,526 2.71% 7,887,001,292 6
2015 190,671,878 2.73% 4,805,798 −116,162 16.7 5.5 209 45.5% 86,673,094 2.55% 7,470,491,872 7
2010 166,642,886 2.82% 4,325,127 47,966 16.7 5.95 183 41.4% 68,949,828 2.37% 7,021,732,148 7
2005 145,017,253 2.79% 3,726,952 −17,146 16.8 6.06 159 37.4% 54,288,918 2.20% 6,586,970,132 7
2000 126,382,494 2.66% 3,112,613 74,535 16.8 6.12 139 33.7% 42,627,440 2.05% 6,171,702,993 10
1995 110,819,428 2.67% 2,739,701 73,243 16.5 6.27 122 31.4% 34,785,545 1.92% 5,758,878,982 10
1990 97,120,925 2.73% 2,444,590 135,959 16.2 6.46 107 29.1% 28,276,132 1.82% 5,327,803,110 10
1985 84,897,973 2.85% 2,226,666 61,514 16.2 6.62 93 25.2% 21,434,266 1.74% 4,868,943,465 10
1980 73,764,641 3.07% 2,070,765 198,672 16.7 6.85 81 21.9% 16,139,321 1.66% 4,447,606,236 11
1975 63,410,815 2.56% 1,503,395 75,603 17.3 6.77 70 19.8% 12,535,584 1.56% 4,070,735,277 11
1970 55,893,838 2.22% 1,161,415 7,953 17.9 6.47 61 17.8% 9,942,297 1.51% 3,694,683,794 11
1965 50,086,764 2.14% 1,006,596 32,988 18.3 6.37 55 16.6% 8,296,771 1.50% 3,334,533,703 13
1960 45,053,782 1.94% 823,629 12,131 18.3 6.36 49 15.4% 6,955,737 1.49% 3,015,470,894 14
1955 40,935,635 1.89% 730,525 −12,617 18.2 6.4 45 12.1% 4,952,844 1.49% 2,740,213,792 13

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Nigeria Population Forecast

Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country's Share of World Pop World Population Nigeria Global Rank
2030 262,380,970 2.01% 4,970,638 24,085 19.3 3.82 288 59.6% 156,299,881 3.06% 8,569,124,911 6
2035 287,685,763 1.86% 5,060,959 35,506 20.5 3.41 316 64.3% 184,887,647 3.24% 8,885,210,181 6
2040 312,710,416 1.68% 5,004,931 41,202 21.7 3.1 343 69.1% 216,083,536 3.41% 9,177,190,203 5
2045 336,662,502 1.49% 4,790,417 44,157 22.7 2.85 370 74.3% 250,285,391 3.57% 9,439,639,668 5
2050 359,185,556 1.3% 4,504,611 56,965 23.9 2.66 394 79.9% 287,130,349 3.72% 9,664,378,587 5

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Nigeria Demographics (2026)

Life Expectancy
55.0 years

(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)

View by sex and historical chart

Infant Mortality Rate
66.9

(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Deaths under age 5
100.7

(per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in Nigeria

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

Rank Urban Area Population Estimate (2025)
1 Lagos 12,791,699
2 Onitsha 5,627,706
3 Kano 4,840,280
4 Owerri 3,833,343
5 Ibadan 3,720,721
6 Port Harcourt 2,341,445
7 Kaduna 1,890,448
8 Benin City 1,845,432
9 Warri 1,607,702
10 Uyo 1,567,115
11 Aba 1,428,069
12 Aboh 1,374,320
13 Abuja 1,373,722
14 Ilorin 1,282,219
15 Maiduguri 1,225,505
16 Enugu 1,115,303
17 Otite 1,020,218
18 Jos 923,652
19 Ikorodu 916,166
20 Sokoto 903,238
21 Umuahia 843,245
22 Nsukka 830,196
23 Abeokuta 801,826
24 Oyo 793,241
25 Yola 758,153
26 Zaria 712,688
27 Akure 700,747
28 Calabar 673,427
29 Bauchi 642,082
30 Lokoja 629,547
31 Ado Ekiti 598,230
32 Ogale 595,099
33 Katsina 594,775
34 Yenagoa 586,393
35 Madalla 583,367
36 Ondo 564,330
37 Minna 516,451
38 Ijebu-Ode 500,036
39 Ife 492,000
40 Gusau 475,004
41 Oshogbo 473,929
42 Ilesa 450,464
43 Ogbomosho 445,090
44 Titi 436,744
45 Oron 436,247
46 Dere 425,674
47 Bida 421,605
48 Ikot Ekpene 418,650
49 Makurdi 408,753
50 Abakaliki 406,105
51 Asaba 403,859
52 Saki 400,875
53 Potiskum 397,981
54 Iseyin 389,526
55 KUNDULUN 380,118
56 Gamboru 376,374
57 Abonnema 372,654
58 Oyigbo 371,913
59 Daura 369,916
60 Gboko 367,407
61 Ikere-Ekiti 338,367
62 Bonny 335,542
63 Gwagwalada 333,464
64 Ikare 330,941
65 Erin-osun 330,484
66 Sapele 315,614
67 Ughelli 307,005
68 Owo 301,931
69 Ado 300,622
70 Bugama 299,022
More info

See also


Notes

The Nigeria Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Nigeria delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Nigeria (1950 - 2026) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2026.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2026. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2026: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2026: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Nigeria in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.