Rural population, annual growth rate in Nigeria
Nigeria: Rural population, annual growth rate was -0.1218 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
-0.1218 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 113.3%
World rank
121st
of 208 countries
All-time high
2.1 % change on previous year
in 1980
All-time low
-0.1218 % change on previous year
in 2025
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Rural population, annual growth rate in Nigeria, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded -0.1218 % change on previous year for rural population, annual growth rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 113.3% on the previous year and down 116.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, annual growth rate in Nigeria peaked at 2.1 % change on previous year in 1980 and was at its lowest, -0.1218 % change on previous year, in 2025.
Nigeria ranks 121st of 208 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Rural population, annual growth rate in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.41 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 1.45 % change on previous year | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 1.47 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 1.48 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 1.48 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 1.46 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 1967 | 1.4 % change on previous year | -4.5% |
| 1968 | 1.39 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 1.43 % change on previous year | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 1.47 % change on previous year | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 1.5 % change on previous year | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 1.54 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 1.62 % change on previous year | +5.1% |
| 1974 | 1.72 % change on previous year | +6.7% |
| 1975 | 1.85 % change on previous year | +7.3% |
| 1976 | 1.93 % change on previous year | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 2.02 % change on previous year | +4.8% |
| 1978 | 2.09 % change on previous year | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 2.09 % change on previous year | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 2.1 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 2.04 % change on previous year | -3.1% |
| 1982 | 1.93 % change on previous year | -5.1% |
| 1983 | 1.51 % change on previous year | -21.9% |
| 1984 | 1.46 % change on previous year | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 1.72 % change on previous year | +17.6% |
| 1986 | 1.59 % change on previous year | -7.8% |
| 1987 | 1.52 % change on previous year | -4.3% |
| 1988 | 1.51 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 1.52 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 1.52 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 1.44 % change on previous year | -4.9% |
| 1992 | 1.41 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 1.41 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 1.37 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 1.33 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 1.28 % change on previous year | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 1.23 % change on previous year | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 1.21 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 1.2 % change on previous year | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 1.21 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 1.22 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 1.21 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 1.19 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 1.17 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 1.14 % change on previous year | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 1.12 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 1.19 % change on previous year | +6.9% |
| 2008 | 1.17 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 1.15 % change on previous year | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 1.13 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 1.11 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 1.06 % change on previous year | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 0.9674 % change on previous year | -8.4% |
| 2014 | 0.8646 % change on previous year | -10.6% |
| 2015 | 0.727 % change on previous year | -15.9% |
| 2016 | 0.6306 % change on previous year | -13.3% |
| 2017 | 0.5575 % change on previous year | -11.6% |
| 2018 | 0.4035 % change on previous year | -27.6% |
| 2019 | 0.2504 % change on previous year | -37.9% |
| 2020 | 0.1497 % change on previous year | -40.2% |
| 2021 | 0.0779 % change on previous year | -47.9% |
| 2022 | 0.0355 % change on previous year | -54.4% |
| 2023 | 0.0006 % change on previous year | -98.4% |
| 2024 | -0.0571 % change on previous year | -9939.9% |
| 2025 | -0.1218 % change on previous year | +113.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's -0.1218 % change on previous year is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.8714 % change on previous year. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's -0.1218 % change on previous year is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.21 % change on previous year. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population, annual growth rate in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -9939.9% | 0.0006 % change on previous year | -0.0571 % change on previous year |
| 2025 | -113.3% | -0.0571 % change on previous year | -0.1218 % change on previous year |
| 2023 | -98.4% | 0.0355 % change on previous year | 0.0006 % change on previous year |
| 2022 | -54.4% | 0.0779 % change on previous year | 0.0355 % change on previous year |
| 2021 | -47.9% | 0.1497 % change on previous year | 0.0779 % change on previous year |
| 2020 | -40.2% | 0.2504 % change on previous year | 0.1497 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.44 % change on previous year | 1.39 % change on previous year | 1.48 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.78 % change on previous year | 1.47 % change on previous year | 2.09 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.69 % change on previous year | 1.46 % change on previous year | 2.1 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.34 % change on previous year | 1.2 % change on previous year | 1.52 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.18 % change on previous year | 1.12 % change on previous year | 1.22 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7703 % change on previous year | 0.2504 % change on previous year | 1.13 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0141 % change on previous year | -0.1218 % change on previous year | 0.1497 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 118 Canada -0.0803 % change on previous year compare
- 119 Guam -0.0818 % change on previous year compare
- 120 Grenada -0.0888 % change on previous year compare
- 122 Slovakia -0.1564 % change on previous year compare
- 123 South Korea -0.1591 % change on previous year compare
- 124 Haiti -0.1649 % change on previous year compare
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, 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)
- Rural population 36.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, annual growth rate in Nigeria?
- Rural population, annual growth rate in Nigeria was -0.1218 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 2.1 % change on previous year in 1980.
- What is the lowest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.1218 % change on previous year in 2025.
- How does Nigeria rank for rural population, annual growth rate?
- Nigeria ranks 121st out of 208 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 116.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.