Nigeria
- Capital:
- Abuja
- Continent:
- Africa
- Region(s):
- Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
- Abbreviation:
- NGA
242,431,832
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
242,431,832
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
Nigeria's population is projected to be 476,068,925 by 2097.
Historical
Switch the toggle to see projected data.
| Year ↓ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 242,431,832 | 2.1% | 6 |
| 2025 | 237,527,782 | 2.11% | 6 |
| 2020 | 213,996,181 | 2.15% | 6 |
| 2019 | 209,485,641 | 2.22% | 6 |
| 2018 | 204,938,755 | 2.34% | 7 |
| 2017 | 200,254,579 | 2.46% | 7 |
| 2015 | 190,671,878 | 2.73% | 7 |
| 2010 | 166,642,886 | 2.82% | 7 |
| 2005 | 145,017,253 | 2.79% | 7 |
| 2000 | 126,382,494 | 2.66% | 10 |
| Year ↑ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 242,431,832 | 2.1% | 6 |
| 2032 | 272,483,642 | 1.95% | 6 |
| 2037 | 297,773,244 | 1.79% | 6 |
| 2042 | 322,450,309 | 1.6% | 5 |
| 2047 | 345,844,009 | 1.41% | 5 |
| 2052 | 367,803,706 | 1.24% | 5 |
| 2057 | 388,268,095 | 1.09% | 4 |
| 2062 | 407,149,193 | 0.95% | 4 |
| 2067 | 424,256,028 | 0.83% | 4 |
| 2072 | 439,170,599 | 0.69% | 4 |
1M
2.5M
5M
7.5M
10M
17.5M
Kano has a metropolitan area population of 17,510,247, comprising 7.22%% of Nigeria's total population.
| Rank | City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | % of National Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kano | 17,510,247 | 7.22% |
| 2 | Lagos | 14,881,845 | 6.14% |
| 3 | Ibadan | 2,098,855 | 0.87% |
| 4 | Abuja Municipal Area Council | 2,057,985 | 0.85% |
| 5 | Abuja | 2,057,985 | 0.85% |
| 6 | Benin City | 1,770,251 | 0.73% |
| 7 | Port Harcourt Metro | 1,576,535 | 0.65% |
| 8 | Kaduna | 1,249,777 | 0.52% |
| 9 | Nasarawa | 1,110,822 | 0.46% |
| 10 | Ifo | 1,047,201 | 0.43% |
As of 2026, Nigeria has a total population of 242,431,832, ranking as the 6th most populous nation in the world.
Nigeria has a net population change of approximately 13,493 people per day, driven by 21,114 births, 7,613 deaths, and net emigration of 8 people.
Nigeria represents 3.03% of the total global population and 15.3% of Africa's population.
Nigeria has a population density of 266.2 people per km² (approximately 689.4 per mi²), making it the 55th most densely populated country in the world.
Currently, 100% of the population resides in urban areas.
*Rates last updated: June 8, 2026
As of 2026, the largest ethnicity in Nigeria is Hausa (30%) , followed by Other (24.9%) .
As of 2026, Muslim is the largest religion in Nigeria, comprising 53.5% of the population.