Maize yield in Nigeria
Nigeria: Maize yield was 1,528 kg per hectare in 2011. ▲ Rising
Maize yield in Nigeria, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in kg per hectare.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 1,528 kg per hectare for maize yield in 2011.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 17.4% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maize yield in Nigeria peaked at 2,196 kg per hectare in 2009 and was at its lowest, 573.1 kg per hectare, in 1972.
That places Nigeria 22nd out of 49 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Maize yield in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | kg per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 805.1 kg per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 884.8 kg per hectare | +9.9% |
| 1963 | 1,024 kg per hectare | +15.7% |
| 1964 | 760 kg per hectare | -25.8% |
| 1965 | 826.2 kg per hectare | +8.7% |
| 1966 | 851.5 kg per hectare | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 816.9 kg per hectare | -4.1% |
| 1968 | 1,028 kg per hectare | +25.9% |
| 1969 | 915.4 kg per hectare | -11.0% |
| 1970 | 995.9 kg per hectare | +8.8% |
| 1971 | 1,046 kg per hectare | +5.0% |
| 1972 | 573.1 kg per hectare | -45.2% |
| 1973 | 648.5 kg per hectare | +13.2% |
| 1974 | 911.9 kg per hectare | +40.6% |
| 1975 | 1,372 kg per hectare | +50.4% |
| 1976 | 1,197 kg per hectare | -12.7% |
| 1977 | 1,066 kg per hectare | -11.0% |
| 1978 | 1,268 kg per hectare | +19.0% |
| 1979 | 1,148 kg per hectare | -9.4% |
| 1980 | 1,316 kg per hectare | +14.6% |
| 1981 | 1,644 kg per hectare | +24.9% |
| 1982 | 1,378 kg per hectare | -16.2% |
| 1983 | 970.7 kg per hectare | -29.5% |
| 1984 | 1,139 kg per hectare | +17.3% |
| 1985 | 1,174 kg per hectare | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 1,268 kg per hectare | +8.0% |
| 1987 | 1,353 kg per hectare | +6.7% |
| 1988 | 1,640 kg per hectare | +21.2% |
| 1989 | 1,395 kg per hectare | -14.9% |
| 1990 | 1,130 kg per hectare | -19.0% |
| 1991 | 1,130 kg per hectare | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 1,118 kg per hectare | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 1,185 kg per hectare | +6.0% |
| 1994 | 1,272 kg per hectare | +7.4% |
| 1995 | 1,267 kg per hectare | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 1,326 kg per hectare | +4.7% |
| 1997 | 1,251 kg per hectare | -5.7% |
| 1998 | 1,320 kg per hectare | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 1,600 kg per hectare | +21.2% |
| 2000 | 1,300 kg per hectare | -18.7% |
| 2001 | 1,400 kg per hectare | +7.7% |
| 2002 | 1,490 kg per hectare | +6.4% |
| 2003 | 1,500 kg per hectare | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 1,600 kg per hectare | +6.7% |
| 2005 | 1,660 kg per hectare | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 1,818 kg per hectare | +9.5% |
| 2007 | 1,705 kg per hectare | -6.2% |
| 2008 | 1,957 kg per hectare | +14.8% |
| 2009 | 2,196 kg per hectare | +12.2% |
| 2010 | 1,850 kg per hectare | -15.8% |
| 2011 | 1,528 kg per hectare | -17.4% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 1,528 kg per hectare is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,330 kg per hectare, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 1,528 kg per hectare is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,322 kg per hectare, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 879.1 kg per hectare | 760 kg per hectare | 1,028 kg per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 1,023 kg per hectare | 573.1 kg per hectare | 1,372 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,328 kg per hectare | 970.7 kg per hectare | 1,644 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,260 kg per hectare | 1,118 kg per hectare | 1,600 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,663 kg per hectare | 1,300 kg per hectare | 2,196 kg per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,689 kg per hectare | 1,528 kg per hectare | 1,850 kg per hectare | 2 |
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 maize yield in Nigeria?
- Maize yield in Nigeria was 1,528 kg per hectare in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest maize yield recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 2,196 kg per hectare in 2009.
- What is the lowest maize yield recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 573.1 kg per hectare in 1972.
- How does Nigeria rank for maize yield?
- Nigeria ranks 22nd out of 49 countries with data for 2011.
- Is maize yield rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Maize yield (kg per hectare). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Maize yield, measured as kilograms per hectare of harvested land. Production data on relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Crop harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed, or silage and those used for grazing are excluded.