Nigeria
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Population
244.34M
Area
923,768 km²
GDP
$187.76B
GDP Per Capita
$5,700
Pop. Density
265/km²
Quick Facts
Currency
₦Nigerian naira(NGN)
Calling Code
+234
Timezone
UTC+01:00
Languages
English
Driving Side
right
Demonym
Nigerian
Background
In ancient and pre-colonial times, the area of present-day Nigeria was occupied by a variety of ethnic groups with different languages and traditions. These included large Islamic kingdoms such as Borno, Kano, and the Sokoto Caliphate dominating the north, the Benin and Oyo Empires that controlled much of modern western Nigeria, and more decentralized political entities and city states in the south and southeast. In 1914, the British amalgamated their separately administered northern and southern territories into a Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.
Nigeria achieved independence from Britain in 1960 and transitioned to a federal republic with three constituent states in 1963 under President Nnamdi AZIKIWE. This structure served to enflame regional and ethnic tension, contributing to a bloody coup led by predominately southeastern military officers in 1966 and a countercoup later that year masterminded by northern officers. In the aftermath of this tension, the governor of Nigeria’s Eastern Region, centered on the southeast, declared the region independent as the Republic of Biafra. The ensuring civil war (1967-1970), resulted in more than a million deaths, many from starvation. While the war forged a stronger Nigerian state and national identity, it contributed to long-lasting mistrust of the southeast’s predominantly Igbo population. Wartime military leader Yakubu GOWON ruled until a bloodless coup by frustrated junior officers in 1975. This generation of officers, including Olusegun OBASANJO, Ibrahim BABANGIDA, and Muhammadu BUHARI, who would all later serve as president, continue to exert significant influence in Nigeria to the present day.
Military rule predominated until the first durable transition to civilian government and adoption of a new constitution in 1999. The elections of 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history. National and state elections in 2011 and 2015 were generally regarded as credible. The 2015 election was also heralded for the fact that the then-umbrella opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, defeated the long-ruling (since 1999) People's Democratic Party and assumed the presidency, marking the first peaceful transfer of power from one party to another. Presidential and legislative elections in 2019 and 2023 were deemed broadly free and fair despite voting irregularities, intimidation, and violence. The government of Africa's most populous nation continues to face the daunting task of institutionalizing democracy and reforming a petroleum-based economy whose revenues have been squandered through decades of corruption and mismanagement. In addition, Nigeria faces increasing violence from Islamic terrorism, largely in the northeast, large scale criminal banditry, secessionist violence in the southeast, and competition over land and resources nationwide.
Historical Trends
GDP (USD)
↑5.8% since 2006Population
↑56.1% since 2006Life Expectancy at Birth
Latest: 54.5 yearsData source: World Bank Open Data
Geography21
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Geographic coordinates
10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references
Africa
Area
land: 910,768 sq km
water: 13,000 sq km
Area - comparative
about six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries
border countries: Benin 809 km; Cameroon 1,975 km; Chad 85 km; Niger 1,608 km
Coastline
853 km
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Terrain
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
Elevation
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 380 m
Natural resources
natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land
Land use
agricultural land
agricultural land: arable land
agricultural land: permanent crops
agricultural land: permanent pasture
forest
other
Irrigated land
2,188 sq km (2017)
Major lakes (area sq km)
note - area varies by season and year to year
Major rivers (by length in km)
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Major aquifers
Lake Chad Basin, Lullemeden-Irhazer Aquifer System
Population distribution
largest population of any African nation; significant population clusters are scattered throughout the country, with the highest density areas being in the south and southwest, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards
periodic droughts; flooding
Geography - note
the Niger River enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rainforests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea
People & Society34
Population
male: 123,511,557
female: 120,832,508
Nationality
adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups
Hausa 30%, Yoruba 15.5%, Igbo (Ibo) 15.2%, Fulani 6%, Tiv 2.4%, Kanuri/Beriberi 2.4%, Ibibio 1.8%, Ijaw/Izon 1.8%, other 24.9% (2018 est.)
Languages
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, over 500 additional indigenous languages
Religions
Muslim 53.5%, Roman Catholic 10.6%, other Christian 35.3%, other 0.6% (2018 est.)
Age structure
15-64 years: 56.2% (male 66,897,900/female 66,187,584)
65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 3,759,943/female 4,274,287)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 72.2 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 17 (2025 est.)
Median age
male: 19.1 years
female: 19.6 years
Population growth rate
2.39% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
33.56 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
largest population of any African nation; significant population clusters are scattered throughout the country, with the highest density areas being in the south and southwest, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 3.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
15.946 million Lagos, 4.348 million Kano, 3.875 million Ibadan, 3.840 million ABUJA (capital), 3.480 million Port Harcourt, 1.905 million Benin City (2023)
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
20.4 years (2018 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
993 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male: 58.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
male: 60.4 years
female: 64.2 years
Total fertility rate
4.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
2.23 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 4.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
8.9% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 0.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 3.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 4.8% (2025 est.)
female: 0.3% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
24.4% (2021 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
67.6% (2018 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 18: 30.3% (2021)
men married by age 18: 1.6% (2021)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% national budget): 3% national budget (2024 est.)
Literacy
male: 73.7% (2021 est.)
female: 53.3% (2021 est.)
Government25
Country name
conventional short form: Nigeria
etymology: named for the Niger River that flows through the west of the country to the Atlantic Ocean; the name of the river probably comes from the local Tuareg name, egereou n-igereouen (big rivers)
Government type
federal presidential republic
Capital
geographic coordinates: 9 05 N, 7 32 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the newly built city of Abuja replaced Lagos as the capital city in 1991; Abuja takes its name from a nearby town, now renamed Suleja, that was named after Abu JA ("Abu the Red") in 1828
Administrative divisions
36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara
Legal system
mixed system of English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law
Constitution
amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses and approval by the Houses of Assembly of at least two thirds of the states; amendments to constitutional articles on the creation of a new state, fundamental constitutional rights, or constitution-amending procedures requires at least four-fifths majority vote by both houses of the National Assembly and approval by the Houses of Assembly in at least two thirds of the states; passage of amendments limited to the creation of a new state require at least two-thirds majority vote by the proposing National Assembly house and approval by the Houses of Assembly in two thirds of the states
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Nigeria
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
head of government
cabinet
election/appointment process
most recent election date
election results
2023: Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU elected president; percent of vote - Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU (APC) 36.6%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 29.1%, Peter OBI (LP) 25.4%, Rabiu KWANKWASO (NNPP) 6.4%, other 2.5%
2019: Muhammadu BUHARI elected president; percent of vote - Muhammadu BUHARI (APC) 53%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 39%, other 8%
expected date of next election
Legislative branch
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Judicial branch
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, a 23-member independent body of federal and state judicial officials; judge appointments confirmed by the Senate; judges serve until age 70
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; Federal High Court; High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; state court system similar in structure to federal system
Political parties
Africa Democratic Congress or ADC
All Progressives Congress or APC
All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA
Labor Party or LP
New Nigeria People’s Party or NNPP
Peoples Democratic Party or PDP
Young Progressive Party or YPP
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission
chancery
telephone
FAX
email address and website
consulate(s) general
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
embassy
mailing address
telephone
FAX
email address and website
consulate(s) general
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, CD, D-8, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MINURSO, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence
1 October 1960 (from the UK)
National holiday
Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)
Flag
meaning: green stands for the country's forests and natural resources, and white for peace and unity
National symbol(s)
eagle
National color(s)
green, white
National anthem(s)
lyrics/music: Lillie Jean WILLIAMS/Frances BERDA
history: adopted 2024
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Sukur Cultural Landscape; Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove
Economy30
Economic overview
largest African market economy; enormous but mostly lower middle income labor force; major oil exporter; key telecommunications and finance industries; susceptible to global energy price shocks; regional leader in critical infrastructure; primarily agrarian employment
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $1.275 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.239 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 2.9% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 3.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2023: $5,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $5,600 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$187.76 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 24.7% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 18.8% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 29.6% (2024 est.)
services: 47% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
cassava, yams, maize, oil palm fruit, rice, taro, bananas, vegetables, sorghum, groundnuts (2023)
Industries
crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; rubber products, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel
Industrial production growth rate
2.4% (2024 est.)
Labor force
113.35 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2023: 3.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 3.9% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 3.7% (2024 est.)
female: 6.5% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
40.1% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Average household expenditures
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 26.7% (2018 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2023: 5.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 4.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $59.868 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt
Current account balance
Current account balance 2023: $6.423 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $1.019 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
Exports 2023: $60.261 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $69.091 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners
USA 10%, Spain 9%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, India 6% (2023)
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, natural gas, gold, fertilizers, cocoa beans (2023)
Imports
Imports 2023: $65.423 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $77.049 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners
China 26%, Singapore 14%, Belgium 8%, India 6%, USA 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, tanks and armored vehicles, wheat, plastics, cars (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $32.035 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $35.564 billion (2022 est.)
Debt - external
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2024
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Energy7
Electricity access
electrification - urban areas: 89%
electrification - rural areas: 27%
Electricity
consumption: 34.135 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 2.4 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 5.974 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 22.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
consumption: 1.326 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 17 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 2.144 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 527,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 36.89 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 19.885 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 16.324 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 5.761 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media
nearly 70 federal government-controlled national and regional TV stations; all 36 states operate TV stations; several private TV stations; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; network of federal government-controlled national, regional, and state radio stations; roughly 40 state government-owned radio stations; about 20 private radio stations; transmissions of international broadcasters are available; transition to digital completed in three states in 2018 (2019)
Internet country code
.ng
Internet users
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Transportation6
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
5N
Airports
50 (2025)
Heliports
15 (2025)
Railways
standard gauge: 293 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 3,505 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Merchant marine
by type: general cargo 23, oil tanker 128, other 777
Ports
total ports
large
medium
small
very small
ports with oil terminals
key ports
Military & Security7
Military and security forces
Ministry of Interior: Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC); Ministry of Police Affairs: Nigeria Police Force (NPF) (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2023: 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 0.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 0.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; estimated 140,000 active Armed Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory consists primarily of imported weapons systems from a range of countries, including Brazil, China, France, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, Türkiye, and the US; Nigeria is developing a defense-industry capacity, including small arms, light armored personnel vehicles, and small-scale naval production (2025)
Military service age and obligation
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
Military deployments
180 Sudan/South Sudan (UNISFA); 200 Gambia (ECOWAS); 150 Guinea-Bissau (ECOWAS) (2025)
Military - note
the Nigerian military traces its origins to the Nigeria Regiment of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison Great Britain's West African colonies; the WAFF (the honorary title "Royal" was added later) served in both World Wars; in 1956, the Nigeria Regiment of the Royal WAFF was renamed the Nigerian Military Forces (NMF) and in 1958, the colonial government of Nigeria took over control of the NMF from the British War Office; the Nigerian Armed Forces were established following independence in 1960 (2025)
Transnational Issues2
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 3,709,022 (2024 est.)
Illicit drugs
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)