Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Nigeria
Nigeria: Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland was 1.99 kilograms per hectare in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1.99 kilograms per hectare
Change on year
down 28.2%
World rank
181st
of 201 countries
All-time high
13.55 kilograms per hectare
in 2020
All-time low
0.01 kilograms per hectare
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Nigeria, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per hectare.
Analysis
In 2023, fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Nigeria stood at 1.99 kilograms per hectare.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 28.2% on the previous year and down 69.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Nigeria peaked at 13.55 kilograms per hectare in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.01 kilograms per hectare, in 1961.
Nigeria ranks 181st of 201 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | kilograms per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.01 kilograms per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 0.01 kilograms per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.02 kilograms per hectare | +100.0% |
| 1964 | 0.04 kilograms per hectare | +100.0% |
| 1965 | 0.07 kilograms per hectare | +75.0% |
| 1966 | 0.17 kilograms per hectare | +142.9% |
| 1967 | 0.15 kilograms per hectare | -11.8% |
| 1968 | 0.14 kilograms per hectare | -6.7% |
| 1969 | 0.12 kilograms per hectare | -14.3% |
| 1970 | 0.09 kilograms per hectare | -25.0% |
| 1971 | 0.13 kilograms per hectare | +44.4% |
| 1972 | 0.32 kilograms per hectare | +146.2% |
| 1973 | 0.16 kilograms per hectare | -50.0% |
| 1974 | 0.46 kilograms per hectare | +187.5% |
| 1975 | 1.05 kilograms per hectare | +128.3% |
| 1976 | 1.21 kilograms per hectare | +15.2% |
| 1977 | 1.2 kilograms per hectare | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 1.19 kilograms per hectare | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 2.1 kilograms per hectare | +76.5% |
| 1980 | 3.08 kilograms per hectare | +46.7% |
| 1981 | 3.21 kilograms per hectare | +4.2% |
| 1982 | 3.4 kilograms per hectare | +5.9% |
| 1983 | 3.96 kilograms per hectare | +16.5% |
| 1984 | 3.91 kilograms per hectare | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 3.52 kilograms per hectare | -10.0% |
| 1986 | 3.86 kilograms per hectare | +9.7% |
| 1987 | 3.44 kilograms per hectare | -10.9% |
| 1988 | 4.83 kilograms per hectare | +40.4% |
| 1989 | 5.66 kilograms per hectare | +17.2% |
| 1990 | 6.55 kilograms per hectare | +15.7% |
| 1991 | 6.37 kilograms per hectare | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 6.38 kilograms per hectare | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 6.3 kilograms per hectare | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 5.18 kilograms per hectare | -17.8% |
| 1995 | 2.62 kilograms per hectare | -49.4% |
| 1996 | 2.74 kilograms per hectare | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 2.01 kilograms per hectare | -26.6% |
| 1998 | 2.54 kilograms per hectare | +26.4% |
| 1999 | 2.64 kilograms per hectare | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 2.59 kilograms per hectare | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 3.53 kilograms per hectare | +36.3% |
| 2002 | 3 kilograms per hectare | -15.0% |
| 2003 | 4.01 kilograms per hectare | +33.7% |
| 2004 | 2.78 kilograms per hectare | -30.7% |
| 2005 | 5.06 kilograms per hectare | +82.0% |
| 2006 | 5.18 kilograms per hectare | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 1.67 kilograms per hectare | -67.8% |
| 2008 | 2.97 kilograms per hectare | +77.8% |
| 2009 | 2.3 kilograms per hectare | -22.6% |
| 2010 | 6.22 kilograms per hectare | +170.4% |
| 2011 | 3.28 kilograms per hectare | -47.3% |
| 2012 | 4.54 kilograms per hectare | +38.4% |
| 2013 | 6.41 kilograms per hectare | +41.2% |
| 2014 | 5.75 kilograms per hectare | -10.3% |
| 2015 | 4.65 kilograms per hectare | -19.1% |
| 2016 | 6.83 kilograms per hectare | +46.9% |
| 2017 | 10.68 kilograms per hectare | +56.4% |
| 2018 | 10.17 kilograms per hectare | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 10.07 kilograms per hectare | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 13.55 kilograms per hectare | +34.6% |
| 2021 | 9.76 kilograms per hectare | -28.0% |
| 2022 | 2.77 kilograms per hectare | -71.6% |
| 2023 | 1.99 kilograms per hectare | -28.2% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 1.99 kilograms per hectare is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 13.3 kilograms per hectare, 15% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 1.99 kilograms per hectare is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.68 kilograms per hectare, 35% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0811 kilograms per hectare | 0.01 kilograms per hectare | 0.17 kilograms per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.791 kilograms per hectare | 0.09 kilograms per hectare | 2.1 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.89 kilograms per hectare | 3.08 kilograms per hectare | 5.66 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.33 kilograms per hectare | 2.01 kilograms per hectare | 6.55 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.31 kilograms per hectare | 1.67 kilograms per hectare | 5.18 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.86 kilograms per hectare | 3.28 kilograms per hectare | 10.68 kilograms per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.02 kilograms per hectare | 1.99 kilograms per hectare | 13.55 kilograms per hectare | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More agriculture & rural data for Nigeria
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 2.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2298 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 281.32 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1218 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3622 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 23.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 23.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Nigeria?
- Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland in Nigeria was 1.99 kilograms per hectare in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 13.55 kilograms per hectare in 2020.
- What is the lowest fertilizer use per hectare of cropland recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.01 kilograms per hectare in 1961.
- How does Nigeria rank for fertilizer use per hectare of cropland?
- Nigeria ranks 181st out of 201 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertilizer use per hectare of cropland rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 69.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertilizer use per hectare of cropland. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Use of fertilizers per area of cropland, which corresponds to the sum of arable land and permanent crops.