Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Nigeria
Nigeria: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 6.39 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
6.39 million
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
3rd
of 222 countries
All-time high
6.43 million
in 2022
All-time low
1.53 million
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Nigeria, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Nigeria is 6.39 million, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Nigeria peaked at 6.43 million in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.53 million, in 1970.
Nigeria ranks 3rd of 222 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.53 million | — |
| 1971 | 1.57 million | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 1.61 million | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 1.66 million | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 1.72 million | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 1.77 million | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 1.83 million | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 1.90 million | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 1.98 million | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 2.05 million | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 2.14 million | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 2.24 million | +4.8% |
| 1982 | 2.35 million | +4.7% |
| 1983 | 2.44 million | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 2.52 million | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 2.62 million | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 2.68 million | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 2.74 million | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 2.81 million | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 2.88 million | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 2.95 million | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 2.99 million | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 3.03 million | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 3.07 million | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 3.12 million | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 3.20 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 3.29 million | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 3.36 million | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 3.44 million | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 3.53 million | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 3.63 million | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 3.73 million | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 3.86 million | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 3.96 million | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 4.06 million | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 4.16 million | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 4.32 million | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 4.52 million | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 4.68 million | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 4.82 million | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 4.98 million | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 5.12 million | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 5.28 million | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 5.43 million | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 5.57 million | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 5.73 million | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 5.87 million | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 6.00 million | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 6.14 million | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 6.22 million | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 6.30 million | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 6.40 million | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 6.43 million | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 6.41 million | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 6.40 million | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 6.39 million | -0.2% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 6.39 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 257,184, 24.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 6.39 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 414,762, 15.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.76 million | 1.53 million | 2.05 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.54 million | 2.14 million | 2.88 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.20 million | 2.95 million | 3.53 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.17 million | 3.63 million | 4.82 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.63 million | 4.98 million | 6.22 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.39 million | 6.30 million | 6.43 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
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 population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Nigeria?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Nigeria was 6.39 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 6.43 million in 2022.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.53 million in 1970.
- How does Nigeria rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
- Nigeria ranks 3rd out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.4%. 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 Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release