Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in Nigeria
Nigeria: Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female was 55.2% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
55.2%
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
172nd
of 212 countries
All-time high
57.7%
in 2020
All-time low
22.4%
in 1971
Years of data
30
1970–2021
Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in Nigeria, 1970–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 55.2% for percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and up 14.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in Nigeria peaked at 57.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 22.4%, in 1971.
Nigeria ranks 172nd of 212 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 23.7% | — |
| 1971 | 22.4% | -5.4% |
| 1972 | 26.3% | +17.5% |
| 1973 | 26.8% | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 28.0% | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 34.5% | +23.2% |
| 1982 | 32.9% | -4.7% |
| 1986 | 40.8% | +24.1% |
| 1987 | 36.8% | -9.9% |
| 1989 | 44.5% | +21.1% |
| 1990 | 42.9% | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 42.7% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 44.9% | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 44.8% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 46.4% | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 46.8% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 47.9% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 48.0% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 47.9% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 47.4% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 49.3% | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 47.6% | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 50.8% | +6.6% |
| 2005 | 50.9% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 50.5% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 48.3% | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 48.2% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 53.8% | +11.6% |
| 2020 | 57.7% | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 55.2% | -4.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 55.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 60.1%, 92% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 55.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 48.7%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25.4% | 22.4% | 28.0% | 5 |
| 1980s | 37.9% | 32.9% | 44.5% | 5 |
| 1990s | 45.6% | 42.7% | 48.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 49.1% | 47.4% | 50.9% | 8 |
| 2010s | 51.0% | 48.2% | 53.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 56.5% | 55.2% | 57.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 169 Rwanda 56.7% compare
- 170 Niger 56.5% compare
- 171 Burundi 55.2% compare
- 173 Sao Tome and Principe 54.9% compare
- 174 Lao People's Democratic Republic 54.9% compare
- 175 Madagascar 54.9% 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 teachers in primary education who are female in Nigeria?
- Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female in Nigeria was 55.2% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of teachers in primary education who are female recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 57.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest percentage of teachers in primary education who are female recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.4% in 1971.
- How does Nigeria rank for percentage of teachers in primary education who are female?
- Nigeria ranks 172nd out of 212 countries with data for 2021.
- Is percentage of teachers in primary education who are female rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of teachers in primary education who are female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release