Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 255.48 people per sq. km of land area in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
255.48 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
53rd
of 216 countries
All-time high
255.48 people per sq. km of land area
in 2024
All-time low
50.49 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population density in Nigeria, 1961–2024
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
In 2024, population density in Nigeria stood at 255.48 people per sq. km of land area. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 25.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Nigeria peaked at 255.48 people per sq. km of land area in 2024 and was at its lowest, 50.49 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
Nigeria ranks 53rd of 216 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 50.49 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 51.57 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 52.67 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 53.81 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 54.99 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 56.2 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 57.42 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 58.67 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 59.98 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 61.37 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1971 | 62.82 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 64.34 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 65.97 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 67.72 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 69.62 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 71.65 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 73.82 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 76.12 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 78.5 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 80.99 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 83.52 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 86.06 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 88.32 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 90.61 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 93.22 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 95.78 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 98.37 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 101.03 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 103.79 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 106.64 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 109.49 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 112.4 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 115.42 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 118.51 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 121.68 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 124.9 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 128.19 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 131.59 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 135.1 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 138.76 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 142.59 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 146.55 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 150.65 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 154.88 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 159.22 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 163.68 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 168.28 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 173.03 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 177.93 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 182.97 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 188.17 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 193.46 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 198.79 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 204.11 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 209.35 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 214.59 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 219.87 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 225.02 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 230.01 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 234.96 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 239.94 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 245.01 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 250.21 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 255.48 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 255.48 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 82.92 people per sq. km of land area, 3.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 255.48 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 69.86 people per sq. km of land area, 3.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 55.09 people per sq. km of land area | 50.49 people per sq. km of land area | 59.98 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 69.19 people per sq. km of land area | 61.37 people per sq. km of land area | 78.5 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 92.17 people per sq. km of land area | 80.99 people per sq. km of land area | 103.79 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 120.39 people per sq. km of land area | 106.64 people per sq. km of land area | 135.1 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 157.56 people per sq. km of land area | 138.76 people per sq. km of land area | 177.93 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 206.63 people per sq. km of land area | 182.97 people per sq. km of land area | 230.01 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 245.12 people per sq. km of land area | 234.96 people per sq. km of land area | 255.48 people per sq. km of land area | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 50 Jamaica 262.16 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 51 British Virgin Islands 261.4 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 52 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 258.65 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 54 Liechtenstein 252.81 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 55 Uganda 249.43 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 56 Qatar 248.72 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Nigeria
- Population in the largest city 11.3% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 65.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1758 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 41.75 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 3.85 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 42.52 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 17.16 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 3.1 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 645.9 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Nigeria?
- Population density in Nigeria was 255.48 people per sq. km of land area in 2024, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 255.48 people per sq. km of land area in 2024.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.49 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Nigeria rank for population density?
- Nigeria ranks 53rd out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population density rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.