Enrolment in secondary education, female in Nigeria

Nigeria: Enrolment in secondary education, female was 7.54 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
7.54 million
Change on year
up 10.8%
World rank
8th
of 218 countries
All-time high
7.54 million
in 2023
All-time low
114,272
in 1970
Years of data
37
1970–2023

Enrolment in secondary education, female in Nigeria, 1970–2023

02.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M1970199620231970: 114.3k1971: 126.6k1972: 145.8k1973: 178.0k1977: 240.2k1978: 311.2k1979: 380.0k1980: 456.7k1981: 623.3k1982: 821.8k1983: 832.8k1984: 867.1k1986: 1.2M1987: 1.3M1989: 1.3M1990: 1.3M1999: 1.8M2000: 1.8M2001: 2.1M2002: 2.2M2004: 2.7M2005: 2.9M2006: 2.8M2007: 2.6M2008: 3.1M2009: 3.6M2010: 4.2M2011: 4.3M2012: 4.8M2013: 5.9M2014: 4.9M2015: 5.2M2016: 4.8M2018: 5.4M2020: 6.4M2021: 6.8M2023: 7.5M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in secondary education, female in Nigeria is 7.54 million, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.

The figure is up 10.8% on the previous year and up 28.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in secondary education, female in Nigeria peaked at 7.54 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 114,272, in 1970.

Nigeria ranks 8th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Enrolment in secondary education, female in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in secondary education, female (number) in Nigeria, 1970 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1970 114,272
1971 126,637 +10.8%
1972 145,823 +15.2%
1973 178,008 +22.1%
1977 240,164 +34.9%
1978 311,173 +29.6%
1979 379,998 +22.1%
1980 456,711 +20.2%
1981 623,257 +36.5%
1982 821,784 +31.9%
1983 832,752 +1.3%
1984 867,142 +4.1%
1986 1.23 million +42.0%
1987 1.33 million +8.3%
1989 1.28 million -3.8%
1990 1.34 million +4.5%
1999 1.80 million +34.2%
2000 1.84 million +2.5%
2001 2.05 million +11.5%
2002 2.18 million +5.9%
2004 2.74 million +25.9%
2005 2.85 million +4.2%
2006 2.84 million -0.4%
2007 2.59 million -8.7%
2008 3.08 million +18.7%
2009 3.58 million +16.2%
2010 4.15 million +16.0%
2011 4.34 million +4.5%
2012 4.79 million +10.3%
2013 5.87 million +22.6%
2014 4.86 million -17.1%
2015 5.22 million +7.3%
2016 4.80 million -7.9%
2018 5.44 million +13.3%
2020 6.43 million +18.1%
2021 6.81 million +5.9%
2023 7.54 million +10.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 213,725 114,272 379,998 7
1980s 931,128 456,711 1.33 million 8
1990s 1.57 million 1.34 million 1.80 million 2
2000s 2.64 million 1.84 million 3.58 million 9
2010s 4.93 million 4.15 million 5.87 million 8
2020s 6.93 million 6.43 million 7.54 million 3

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 5 Brazil 10.69 million compare
  2. 6 Pakistan 9.25 million compare
  3. 7 Bangladesh 7.97 million compare
  4. 9 Mexico 7.33 million compare
  5. 10 Turkey 5.96 million compare
  6. 11 Philippines 5.90 million compare

See the full ranking of 439 places →

More education data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in secondary education, female in Nigeria?
Enrolment in secondary education, female in Nigeria was 7.54 million in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in secondary education, female recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 7.54 million in 2023.
What is the lowest enrolment in secondary education, female recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 114,272 in 1970.
How does Nigeria rank for enrolment in secondary education, female?
Nigeria ranks 8th out of 218 countries with data for 2023.
Is enrolment in secondary education, female rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 28.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in secondary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in secondary education, female in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-secondary-education-female-number-2/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in secondary education, female (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
439 places, 18,761 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release