Percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 in Nigeria
Nigeria: Percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 was 39.4% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
39.4%
Change on year
up 15.3%
World rank
5th
of 27 countries
All-time high
46.4%
in 2003
All-time low
24.8%
in 2013
Years of data
8
2003–2021
Percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 in Nigeria, 2003–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 in Nigeria stood at 39.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 15.3% on the previous year and up 36.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 in Nigeria peaked at 46.4% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 24.8%, in 2013.
Nigeria ranks 5th of 27 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 46.4% | — |
| 2007 | 33.3% | -28.1% |
| 2008 | 34.6% | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 28.9% | -16.5% |
| 2013 | 24.8% | -14.0% |
| 2016 | 40.2% | +62.1% |
| 2018 | 34.2% | -15.0% |
| 2021 | 39.4% | +15.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 39.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.4%, 1.1× the median. (10 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 39.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 28.2%, 1.4× the median. (10 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 38.1% | 33.3% | 46.4% | 3 |
| 2010s | 32.0% | 24.8% | 40.2% | 4 |
| 2020s | 39.4% | 39.4% | 39.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 2 Cameroon 64.5% compare
- 3 Malawi 49.3% compare
- 4 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 48.8% compare
- 6 Guatemala 35.1% compare
- 7 Burkina Faso 33.4% compare
- 8 Côte d'Ivoire 29.9% 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 percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 in Nigeria?
- Percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 in Nigeria was 39.4% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 46.4% in 2003.
- What is the lowest percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.8% in 2013.
- How does Nigeria rank for percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2?
- Nigeria ranks 5th out of 27 countries with data for 2021.
- Is percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of pupils enrolled in primary education who are at least 2 years over-age for their current grade, poorest quintile, female (household survey data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release