Population of the official entrance age to secondary general in Nigeria

Nigeria: Population of the official entrance age to secondary general was 3.06 million in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
3.06 million
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
4th
of 220 countries
All-time high
3.06 million
in 2025
All-time low
613,299
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025

Population of the official entrance age to secondary general in Nigeria, 1970–2025

500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M2.5M3.0M197019972025

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population of the official entrance age to secondary general in Nigeria is 3.06 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.

The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 29.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to secondary general in Nigeria peaked at 3.06 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 613,299, in 1970.

That places Nigeria 4th out of 220 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 secondary general in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Population of the official entrance age to secondary general education, male (number) in Nigeria, 1970 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1970 613,299
1971 628,727 +2.5%
1972 644,563 +2.5%
1973 662,723 +2.8%
1974 681,858 +2.9%
1975 703,552 +3.2%
1976 723,666 +2.9%
1977 746,651 +3.2%
1978 770,265 +3.2%
1979 796,632 +3.4%
1980 823,803 +3.4%
1981 853,604 +3.6%
1982 883,287 +3.5%
1983 915,307 +3.6%
1984 947,635 +3.5%
1985 984,995 +3.9%
1986 1.03 million +4.2%
1987 1.08 million +5.0%
1988 1.13 million +4.8%
1989 1.17 million +4.0%
1990 1.22 million +3.9%
1991 1.27 million +3.9%
1992 1.30 million +2.5%
1993 1.33 million +2.4%
1994 1.36 million +2.4%
1995 1.40 million +2.4%
1996 1.43 million +2.6%
1997 1.45 million +1.1%
1998 1.47 million +1.4%
1999 1.49 million +1.4%
2000 1.51 million +1.7%
2001 1.55 million +2.5%
2002 1.60 million +3.1%
2003 1.64 million +2.3%
2004 1.68 million +2.4%
2005 1.72 million +2.9%
2006 1.77 million +2.9%
2007 1.83 million +2.9%
2008 1.89 million +3.4%
2009 1.94 million +2.7%
2010 1.99 million +2.5%
2011 2.04 million +2.7%
2012 2.12 million +3.9%
2013 2.22 million +4.5%
2014 2.29 million +3.5%
2015 2.37 million +3.2%
2016 2.44 million +3.2%
2017 2.51 million +2.9%
2018 2.59 million +3.1%
2019 2.67 million +2.9%
2020 2.73 million +2.6%
2021 2.82 million +3.0%
2022 2.89 million +2.5%
2023 2.95 million +2.2%
2024 3.02 million +2.3%
2025 3.06 million +1.4%

Nigeria compared with similar countries

  • Nigeria's 3.06 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 123,208, 24.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
  • Nigeria's 3.06 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 192,946, 15.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 697,194 613,299 796,632 10
1980s 981,617 823,803 1.17 million 10
1990s 1.37 million 1.22 million 1.49 million 10
2000s 1.71 million 1.51 million 1.94 million 10
2010s 2.32 million 1.99 million 2.67 million 10
2020s 2.91 million 2.73 million 3.06 million 6

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 1 India 12.63 million compare
  2. 2 China 10.17 million compare
  3. 3 Pakistan 3.07 million compare
  4. 5 Indonesia 2.54 million compare
  5. 6 United States of America 2.16 million compare
  6. 7 Bangladesh 1.65 million compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More education data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of the official entrance age to secondary general in Nigeria?
Population of the official entrance age to secondary general in Nigeria was 3.06 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest population of the official entrance age to secondary general recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 3.06 million in 2025.
What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to secondary general recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 613,299 in 1970.
How does Nigeria rank for population of the official entrance age to secondary general?
Nigeria ranks 4th out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
Is population of the official entrance age to secondary general rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 29.3%. 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 secondary general education, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population of the official entrance age to secondary general in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/population-of-the-official-entrance-age-to-secondary-general-education-male-number-2/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Population of the official entrance age to secondary general education, male (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
220 places, 10,166 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release