Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Nigeria

Nigeria: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 12.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
12.1%
Change on year
up 10.8%
World rank
97th
of 129 countries
All-time high
20.8%
in 2006
All-time low
10.9%
in 2022
Years of data
5
2006–2023

Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Nigeria, 2006–2023

051015202006201420232006: 20.8 cumulative2016: 18.4 cumulative2019: 20 cumulative2022: 10.9 cumulative2023: 12.1 cumulative

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.

Analysis

In 2023, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Nigeria stood at 12.1%.

That represents a change of up 10.8% on the previous year and down 34.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Nigeria peaked at 20.8% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 10.9%, in 2022.

That places Nigeria 97th out of 129 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative) in Nigeria, 2006 to 2023.
Year cumulative Change
2006 20.8%
2016 18.4% -11.2%
2019 20.0% +8.4%
2022 10.9% -45.3%
2023 12.1% +10.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 20.8% 20.8% 20.8% 1
2010s 19.2% 18.4% 20.0% 2
2020s 11.5% 10.9% 12.1% 2

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 94 Ghana 12.7% compare
  2. 95 Bosnia and Herzegovina 12.4% compare
  3. 96 Samoa 12.2% compare
  4. 98 Uganda 11.9% compare
  5. 99 Zambia 11.7% compare
  6. 100 Panama 11.6% compare

See the full ranking of 129 places →

More education data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Nigeria?
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Nigeria was 12.1% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 20.8% in 2006.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 10.9% in 2022.
How does Nigeria rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
Nigeria ranks 97th out of 129 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is down 34.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-population-25-male-percent/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative)
Unit
cumulative
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
129 places, 2,126 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed short-cycle tertiary education.