In 2022, Nigeria's population was estimated at around *** million individuals. Demographic projections show that the Nigerian population might experience a constant increase in the next decades. By 2050, it is forecast that the population will grow to over *** million people compared to 2022.

Urban population growth (annual %) in Nigeria was reported at 3.4497 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Nigeria - Urban population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Actual value and historical data chart for Nigeria Population Growth Annual Percent

Nigeria has the largest population in Africa. As of 2025, the country counted over 237.5 million individuals, whereas Ethiopia, which ranked second, has around 135.5 million inhabitants. Egypt registered the largest population in North Africa, reaching nearly 118.4 million people. In terms of inhabitants per square kilometer, Nigeria only ranked seventh, while Mauritius had the highest population density on the whole African continent in 2023. The fastest-growing world region Africa is the second most populous continent in the world, after Asia. Nevertheless, Africa records the highest growth rate worldwide, with figures rising by over two percent every year. In some countries, such as Chad, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Central African Republic, the population increase peaks at over 3.4 percent. With so many births, Africa is also the youngest continent in the world. However, this coincides with a low life expectancy. African cities on the rise The last decades have seen high urbanization rates in Asia, mainly in China and India. African cities are also growing at large rates. Indeed, the continent has three megacities and is expected to add four more by 2050. Furthermore, Africa's fastest-growing cities are forecast to be Bujumbura, in Burundi, and Zinder, Nigeria, by 2035.

According to the forecast, Africa's total population would reach nearly 2.5 billion by 2050. In 2025, the continent had around 1.55 billion inhabitants, with Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Egypt as the most populous countries. In the coming years, Africa will experience significant population growth and will close the gap significantly with the Asian population by 2100. Rapid population growth In Africa, the annual growth rate of the population followed an overall increasing trend up to 2013, reaching nearly 2.63 percent. This was followed by a drop to 2.32 percent by 2023. Although population growth was slowing down, it was still growing faster than in all other regions. The reasons behind this rapid growth are various. One factor is the high fertility rate registered in African countries. In 2023, a woman in Somalia, Chad, Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic had an average of over six children in her reproductive years, the highest rate on the continent. High fertility resulted in a large young population and partly compensated for the high mortality rate in Africa, leading to fast-paced population growth. High poverty levels Africa’s population is concerned with widespread poverty. In 2025, over 438 million people on the continent are extremely poor and live with less than 2.15 U.S. dollars per day. Globally, Africa is the continent hosting the highest poverty rate. In 2025, the countries of Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo account for over 23 percent of the world's population living in extreme poverty. Nevertheless, the share of the population living in poverty in Africa is forecast to decrease in the coming years.

Rural population growth (annual %) in Nigeria was reported at 0.43552 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Nigeria - Rural population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Dataset

This dataset was created by harmony nnah

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Contents

Historical dataset of population level and growth rate for the Abuja, Nigeria metro area from 1950 to 2025.

The total population of Nigeria was estimated at 232.68 million people in 2024. Following a continuous upward trend, the total population has risen by 159.26 million people since 1980. Between 2024 and 2030, the total population will rise by 30.98 million people, continuing its consistent upward trajectory.This indicator describes the total population in the country at hand. This total population of the country consists of all persons falling within the scope of the census.

As of 2023, the total population of Africa was over 1.48 billion. The number of inhabitants on the continent increased annually from 2000 onwards. In comparison, the total population was around 831 million in 2000. According to forecasts, Africa will experience impressive population growth in the coming years and will close the gap with the Asian population by 2100. Over 200 million people in Nigeria Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. In 2025, the country’s population exceeded 237 million people. Ethiopia followed with a population of around 135 million, while Egypt ranked third, accounting for approximately 118 million individuals. Other leading African countries in terms of population were the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, South Africa, and Kenya. Additionally, Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Chad recorded the highest population growth rate on the continent in 2023, with the number of residents rising by over 3.08 percent compared to the previous year. On the other hand, the populations of Tunisia and Eswatini registered a growth rate below 0.85 percent, while for Mauritius and Seychelles, it was negative. Drivers for population growth Several factors have driven Africa’s population growth. For instance, the annual number of births on the continent has risen constantly over the years, jumping from nearly 32 million in 2000 to almost 46 million in 2023. Moreover, despite the constant decline in the number of births per woman, the continent’s fertility rate has remained considerably above the global average. Each woman in Africa had an average of over four children throughout her reproductive years as of 2023, compared to a world rate of around two births per woman. At the same time, improved health and living conditions contributed to decreasing mortality rate and increasing life expectancy in recent years, driving population growth.

Historical dataset of population level and growth rate for the Kano, Nigeria metro area from 1950 to 2025.

nigeria - Population Growth for Nigeria was 2.09839 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, nigeria - Population Growth for Nigeria reached a record high of 2.09839 in January of 2023 and a record low of 2.09282 in January of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for nigeria - Population Growth for Nigeria - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on December of 2025.

As of July 2024, Nigeria's population was estimated at around 229.5 million. Between 1965 and 2024, the number of people living in Nigeria increased at an average rate of over two percent. In 2024, the population grew by 2.42 percent compared to the previous year. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. By extension, the African continent records the highest growth rate in the world. Africa's most populous country Nigeria was the most populous country in Africa as of 2023. As of 2022, Lagos held the distinction of being Nigeria's biggest urban center, a status it also retained as the largest city across all of sub-Saharan Africa. The city boasted an excess of 17.5 million residents. Notably, Lagos assumed the pivotal roles of the nation's primary financial hub, cultural epicenter, and educational nucleus. Furthermore, Lagos was one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. Nigeria's youthful population In Nigeria, a significant 50 percent of the populace is under the age of 19. The most prominent age bracket is constituted by those up to four years old: comprising 8.3 percent of men and eight percent of women as of 2021. Nigeria boasts one of the world's most youthful populations. On a broader scale, both within Africa and internationally, Niger maintains the lowest median age record. Nigeria secures the 20th position in global rankings. Furthermore, the life expectancy in Nigeria is an average of 62 years old. However, this is different between men and women. The main causes of death have been neonatal disorders, malaria, and diarrheal diseases.

Lagos is Nigeria's largest city and commercial capital. Lagos is among the top ten of the world's fastest-growing cities and urban areas. The megacity has the fourth highest GDP in Africa and houses one of the largest and busiest seaports of the continent.

The goal is to determine the population growth rate from 2007 to 2024, also to build a machine learning model to predict the population in 2025

Historical dataset of population level and growth rate for the Saki, Nigeria metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Rural population (% of total population) in Nigeria was reported at 44.97 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Nigeria - Rural population - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) in Nigeria was reported at 41.01 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Nigeria - Population ages 0-14 (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

This statistic shows the total population of Nigeria from 2013 to 2023 by gender. In 2023, Nigeria's female population amounted to approximately 112.68 million, while the male population amounted to approximately 115.21 million inhabitants.

Historical dataset of population level and growth rate for the Lagos, Nigeria metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Historical dataset of population level and growth rate for the Aba, Nigeria metro area from 1950 to 2025.