Population and Demographics

The most populous country in Africa, Nigeria accounts for approximately one-quarter of West Africa's people. Although fewer than 25% of Nigerians are urban dwellers, at least 24 cities have populations of more than 100,000.

The most numerous ethnic group in the northern two-thirds of the country is the Hausa-Fulani, the overwhelming majority of whom are Muslim. Other major ethnic groups of the north are the Nupe, Tiv, and Kanuri. The Yoruba people are the most numerous in the southwest. Over half of the Yorubas are Christian and about a quarter are Muslim, with the remainder following mostly traditional beliefs. The predominantly Christian Igbo are the largest ethnic group in the southeast. Roman Catholics are the largest denomination, but Pentecostal and other Evangelical denominations are also strong. The Efik, Ibibio, and Ijaw (the country's fourth-largest ethnic group) communities also comprise a substantial segment of the population in that area.

Persons of different language backgrounds most commonly communicate in English, although knowledge of two or more Nigerian languages is widespread. Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo are the most widely used Nigerian languages.

Facts and Figures

It is impossible to state demographic figures on Nigeria authoritatively, as national census results have been contested. Census figures are used to determine regional funding and representation of ethnic and religious groups in government service, which provides an incentive for inflating local populations. However, some believe the figures given below by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) are a serious under-estimate.

• Population: 131,859,731
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 42.3% (male 28,089,017/female 27,665,212)
  • 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 36,644,885/female 35,405,915)
  • 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,930,007/female 2,124,695)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 18.7 years
  • Male: 18.7 years
  • Female: 18.6 years
• Population growth rate: 2.38%
• Birth rate: 40.43 births/1,000 population
• Death rate: 16.94 deaths/1,000 population
• Net migration rate: 0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 97.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 104.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 90.02 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 47.08 years
  • Male: 46.52 years
  • Female: 47.66 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 5.49 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: 5.4%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: 3.6 million
• Ethnic Groups:
  • Hausa and Fulani 29%
  • Yoruba 21%
  • Igbo (Ibo) 18%
  • Ijaw 10%
  • Kanuri 4%
  • Ibibio 3.5%
  • Tiv 2.5%
• Religions:
  • Muslim 50%
  • Christian 40%
  • Indigenous beliefs 10%
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 68%
  • Male: 75.7%
  • Female: 60.6%