Human capital composite index in Nigeria
Nigeria: Human capital composite index was -1.42 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Human capital composite index in Nigeria, 1970–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in standard deviations from the yearly mean.
Analysis
The most recent figure for human capital composite index in Nigeria is -1.42 standard deviations from the yearly mean, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 11.0% on the previous year and up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, human capital composite index in Nigeria peaked at 0.0637 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 1984 and was at its lowest, -3.37 standard deviations from the yearly mean, in 2015.
That places Nigeria 188th out of 202 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Human capital composite index in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | standard deviations from the yearly mean | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | -1.28 standard deviations from the yearly mean | — |
| 1971 | -0.936 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -27.1% |
| 1972 | -0.9051 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -3.3% |
| 1973 | -0.9761 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +7.8% |
| 1977 | -0.9831 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +0.7% |
| 1978 | -0.7178 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -27.0% |
| 1979 | -0.4956 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -31.0% |
| 1980 | -0.355 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -28.4% |
| 1981 | -0.2 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -43.7% |
| 1982 | 0.0146 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -107.3% |
| 1983 | 0.0548 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +276.6% |
| 1984 | 0.0637 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +16.1% |
| 1985 | -0.0656 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -203.0% |
| 1986 | -0.3945 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +501.7% |
| 1987 | -0.427 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +8.2% |
| 1989 | -0.5994 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +40.4% |
| 1990 | -0.5733 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -4.4% |
| 1991 | -0.4854 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -15.3% |
| 1999 | -0.7544 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +55.4% |
| 2000 | -0.725 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -3.9% |
| 2001 | -0.8577 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +18.3% |
| 2002 | -0.8851 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +3.2% |
| 2003 | -0.652 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -26.3% |
| 2004 | -0.8854 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +35.8% |
| 2005 | -0.9125 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +3.1% |
| 2006 | -0.7352 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -19.4% |
| 2007 | -1.34 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +82.4% |
| 2008 | -1.66 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +23.6% |
| 2009 | -1.64 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.1% |
| 2010 | -1.64 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.2% |
| 2011 | -1.41 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -13.6% |
| 2012 | -1.6 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +13.4% |
| 2013 | -1.53 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -4.5% |
| 2014 | -1.86 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +21.4% |
| 2015 | -3.37 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +81.0% |
| 2016 | -1.86 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -44.8% |
| 2018 | -2.05 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +10.6% |
| 2020 | -1.87 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -8.9% |
| 2021 | -1.6 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -14.4% |
| 2023 | -1.42 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -11.0% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's -1.42 standard deviations from the yearly mean is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -0.2251 standard deviations from the yearly mean, 6.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's -1.42 standard deviations from the yearly mean is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.5172 standard deviations from the yearly mean, 2.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Human capital composite index 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | -501.7% | -0.0656 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.3945 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 1983 | +276.6% | 0.0146 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.0548 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 1985 | -203.0% | 0.0637 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.0656 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -0.8997 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.28 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.4956 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 7 |
| 1980s | -0.2121 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.5994 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.0637 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 9 |
| 1990s | -0.6044 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.7544 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.4854 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 3 |
| 2000s | -1.03 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.66 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.652 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.92 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -3.37 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.41 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 8 |
| 2020s | -1.63 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.87 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.42 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 185 Suriname -1.27 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 186 Mali -1.31 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 187 Ethiopia -1.34 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 189 Eritrea -1.46 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 190 British Virgin Islands -1.47 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 191 Lebanon -1.51 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
More education data for Nigeria
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 912,245 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.24 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.20 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 33.42 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.18 % change on previous year (2021)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1466 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is human capital composite index in Nigeria?
- Human capital composite index in Nigeria was -1.42 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest human capital composite index recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0637 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 1984.
- What is the lowest human capital composite index recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.37 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2015.
- How does Nigeria rank for human capital composite index?
- Nigeria ranks 188th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
- Is human capital composite index rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Human capital composite index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
An equal-weighted index of 4 indicators: Literacy rate, adult total; School enrollment, primary; School enrollment, secondary; Government expenditure on education, total. Each is standardised against that year's spread across all reporting countries before averaging, so a score of 0 is the average country and +1 is one standard deviation above it.
Equal-weighted mean of the standardised inputs below.
Computed from
- Literacy rate, adult total Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- School enrollment, primary Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- School enrollment, secondary Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- Government expenditure on education, total Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
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
An equal-weighted index of 4 indicators: Literacy rate, adult total; School enrollment, primary; School enrollment, secondary; Government expenditure on education, total. Each is standardised against that year's spread across all reporting countries before averaging, so a score of 0 is the average country and +1 is one standard deviation above it.