Nigeria has Africa’s largest population. Nigeria’s population is expected to reach 401.31 million people by the year 2050, according to the United Nations. Nigeria’s population will exceed 728 million by 2100 if present trends continue.
Nigeria’s population will exceed that of the United States in 2047, according to the United States Census Bureau, when Nigeria’s population would reach 379.25 million. Nigeria will become the world’s third most populous nation with these figures.
Most of Nigeria’s population growth comes from early marriages, high birth rates, and a lack of access to family planning. Nigeria has a birth rate of about 37 per 1,000 inhabitants.
Table of Contents
Nigeria’s Population Increase
The Nigerian government has been working hard to assist slow the country’s population rise. Over the last ten years or so, they have provided free contraception and have even begun to take measures to dissuade individuals from having big kids.
Smaller families are being favored by the government as a means of future financial security. They are using Thailand as a model for their present policy, which is also dealing with big population growth challenges.
Until these efforts are successful, the current forecasts for 2050 show a total population of about 390 million people.
Population projections for Nigeria
Nigeria intends to increase faster than many other nations of comparable size, although the pace of growth is expected to reduce in the following years, with the current rate of 2.62 percent expected to drop to 2.04 percent by 2050.
Nigeria’s population is expected to reach 206 million by 2020, 264 million by 2030, and 300 million by 2036, according to estimates.
Nigeria Population Clock
| Nigeria Population (as of 5/4/2022) | 215,735,601 |
| Next UN Estimate (July 1, 2022) | 216,746,934 |
| Births per Day | 21,382 |
| Deaths per Day | 6,561 |
| Migrations per Day | -164 |
| Net Change per Day | 14,657 |
| Population Change Since Jan. 1 | 1,817,468 |
- Net increase of 1 person every 6 seconds
Components of Population Change
| One birth every 4 seconds |
| One death every 13 seconds |
| One net migrant every 9 minutes |
| Net gain of one person every 6 seconds |
Nigeria Population Density Map
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| Lagos | 9,000,000 |
| Kano | 3,626,068 |
| Ibadan | 3,565,108 |
| Kaduna | 1,582,102 |
| Port Harcourt | 1,148,665 |
| Benin City | 1,125,058 |
| Maiduguri | 1,112,449 |
| Zaria | 975,153 |
| Aba | 897,560 |
| Jos | 816,824 |
Nigeria’s Size and Density of Population
This nation has a total surface area of around 923,768 square kilometers. Nigeria has a population density of roughly 212.04 people per square kilometer, owing to its almost 200 million people.
This country also boasts the largest population of any African country, with the majority of the people concentrated in the south and southwest.
Nigeria’s Largest Cities
There are five cities in Nigeria having a population of one million people. With a population of roughly 17.5 million, Lagos is by far the biggest. Kano, Ibadan, Benin City, and Port Harcourt are the other four cities listed by population.
Nigeria Population by Year (Historical)
| Year | Population | Growth Rate | Density (km²) | Population Rank | Density Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 216,746,934 | 2.57% | 237.98 | 6 | 62 |
| 2021 | 211,400,708 | 2.60% | 232.11 | 7 | 64 |
| 2020 | 206,139,589 | 2.58% | 226.34 | 7 | 64 |
| 2019 | 200,963,599 | 2.60% | 220.65 | 7 | 66 |
| 2018 | 195,874,683 | 2.62% | 215.06 | 7 | 66 |
| 2017 | 190,873,244 | 2.64% | 209.57 | 7 | 68 |
| 2015 | 181,137,448 | 2.71% | 198.88 | 7 | 69 |
| 2010 | 158,503,197 | 2.68% | 174.03 | 7 | 71 |
| 2005 | 138,865,016 | 2.58% | 152.47 | 9 | 71 |
| 2000 | 122,283,850 | 2.53% | 134.26 | 10 | 75 |
| 1995 | 107,948,335 | 2.54% | 118.52 | 10 | 79 |
| 1990 | 95,212,450 | 2.65% | 104.54 | 10 | 88 |
| 1985 | 83,562,785 | 2.62% | 91.75 | 10 | 94 |
| 1980 | 73,423,633 | 2.99% | 80.62 | 11 | 96 |
| 1975 | 63,374,298 | 2.51% | 69.58 | 11 | 103 |
| 1970 | 55,982,144 | 2.23% | 61.47 | 11 | 107 |
| 1965 | 50,127,921 | 2.12% | 55.04 | 13 | 107 |
| 1960 | 45,138,458 | 1.90% | 49.56 | 13 | 105 |
| 1955 | 41,086,100 | 1.65% | 45.11 | 13 | 105 |
| 2023 | 222,182,396 | 2.55% | 243.95 | 6 | 60 |
| 2024 | 227,713,024 | 2.53% | 250.02 | 6 | 60 |
| 2025 | 233,343,112 | 2.51% | 256.20 | 6 | 58 |
| 2030 | 262,977,337 | 2.42% | 288.74 | 5 | 53 |
| 2035 | 294,986,051 | 2.32% | 323.89 | 5 | 47 |
| 2040 | 329,066,615 | 2.21% | 361.31 | 4 | 41 |
| 2045 | 364,711,807 | 2.08% | 400.44 | 4 | 40 |
| 2050 | 401,315,000 | 1.93% | 440.63 | 3 | 36 |
| 2055 | 438,639,114 | 1.80% | 481.61 | 3 | 35 |
| 2060 | 476,130,398 | 1.65% | 522.78 | 3 | 30 |
| 2065 | 513,527,738 | 1.52% | 563.84 | 3 | 27 |
| 2070 | 550,374,955 | 1.40% | 604.30 | 3 | 23 |
| 2075 | 586,202,598 | 1.27% | 643.63 | 3 | 21 |
| 2080 | 620,456,675 | 1.14% | 681.24 | 3 | 21 |
| 2085 | 652,484,055 | 1.01% | 716.41 | 3 | 21 |
| 2090 | 681,977,623 | 0.89% | 748.79 | 3 | 21 |
| 2095 | 708,827,845 | 0.78% | 778.27 | 3 | 20 |
Nigeria Population Pyramid
Nigeria Median Age
| Total | Male | Female |
| 18.4 | 18.3 | 18.5 |
Nigeria Population by Age
There are 105,841,979 people over age 18 in Nigeria.
Census Years
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 26 November 1991 |
| 2006 | 27 March 2006 |
| 2017 | 2017 |
Nigeria – General Info
Nigeria is a country on Africa’s western coast that is formally known as the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The nation is divided into 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja.
Nigeria is a country with over 500 ethnic groups and many different languages, and it gained independence from the United Kingdom on October 1, 1960.
Nigeria’s overall population was estimated to be about 166.2 million people in 2012, according to the Nigeria National Bureau of Statistics. It is estimated to have a population of over 178.5 million people in 2016, though UN projections put the figure as high as 186 million.
When the nation proclaimed independence from the United Kingdom in 1960, the population was projected to be 45.2 million people. Between 1960 and 2012, this is a 268 percent increase.
Nigeria’s population makes up roughly 2.35 percent of the whole world’s population. This indicates that Nigeria is home to nearly 1 in every 43 individuals on the planet.
It should be noted that the Nigeria National Bureau of Statistics estimations takes into consideration the residual impacts of the country’s very high death rate owing to the AIDS pandemic.
While the AIDS pandemic is far better managed in the United States, it is still a major killer throughout Africa. Many individuals and leaders have made initiatives to assist African countries like Nigeria in combating the AIDS pandemic.
Fortunately, during the previous 15 to 20 years, the statistics have greatly improved. In this nation, there are now 3.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS.
Nigerian Population Statistics
Nigeria is a young nation when it comes to the average age of its citizens. The country’s median age is really 18.4 years old for both men and females. In Nigeria, there is a very equitable divide between men and females. In terms of numbers, men have a slight advantage, but only by a little margin.
According to estimations, there are around 1.04 men for every female in the nation. It should be noted, however, that although women are somewhat outnumbered by males, women outweigh men beyond the age of 65.
Nigeria has a diverse ethnic population. The Hausa-Fulani ethnic group outnumbers all others, accounting for over 30% of the population.
The Hausa-Fulani people are mostly Muslim. The Yoruba ethnic group, which makes up 15.5 percent of the population, is followed by the Igbo (Ibo), who make up around 15.2 percent of the population.
Nigeria’s official language is English, however, the nation speaks a variety of languages. The Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo languages are the most widely spoken non-English languages. Apart from English, those three languages are the most often spoken.
Religion, Economy, and Politics in Nigeria
Nigeria’s religious landscape is mostly divided between Christianity and Islam. The majority of Nigerian Muslims are Sunni and live in the country’s northern regions, whereas the Christian population lives mostly in the country’s central and southern regions.
According to a 2010 survey, 45.5 percent of the population was Muslim, with the remainder being Christian.
Nigeria, sadly, has the lowest life expectancy in all of West Africa. According to WHO statistics, the average life expectancy is roughly 54.5 years, with males living an average of 53.7 years and women surviving an average of 55.4 years.
This low figure is due to the fact that the nation suffers from several health problems. The AIDS pandemic, as previously stated, is a key contributor to poor life expectancy.
Nigeria, on the other hand, has suffered from a high infant and maternal death rate, as well as the spread of the poliovirus. In fact, owing to the many health dangers in Nigeria, one out of every five infants born there would die before reaching the age of five.
While pregnancy is clearly not a sickness, many pregnant women in Nigeria die each year as a result of pregnancy problems.
The odds of a Nigerian woman dying during pregnancy or delivery are 1 in 13. Furthermore, many Nigerians do not seek competent medical treatment because they believe that healers would help them live longer. They are unaware that expert physicians can extend their lives significantly.
In terms of clean drinking water, 68.5 percent have better access, while 31.5 percent continue to suffer. Similarly, when it comes to sanitation, just 29% of Nigeria’s population has better sanitation access, compared to 71% who are still suffering.
With a national literacy rate of just 59.6%, the average number of years spent in school is roughly 9 years.
Nigeria’s Demographic History
Nigeria has risen to become the world’s seventh most populous nation since 1960. Given the country’s modest size, this is a significant accomplishment.
Because it is impossible to exist as a tiny nation without oil or extremely valued exports, the government is leaning heavily on population control to rescue the country.