Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in Nigeria
Nigeria: Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women was 18.2% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in Nigeria, 1982–2021
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
In 2021, modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in Nigeria stood at 18.2%. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 51.7% on the previous year and up 58.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in Nigeria peaked at 18.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 1982.
Nigeria ranks 100th of 113 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 0.9% | — |
| 1990 | 3.5% | +288.9% |
| 1999 | 8.5% | +142.3% |
| 2003 | 8.2% | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 10.5% | +28.6% |
| 2008 | 9.7% | -8.0% |
| 2011 | 11.5% | +18.5% |
| 2012 | 10.7% | -6.5% |
| 2013 | 9.8% | -8.7% |
| 2016 | 16.4% | +67.1% |
| 2017 | 10.7% | -34.6% |
| 2018 | 12.0% | +12.0% |
| 2021 | 18.2% | +51.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 6.0% | 3.5% | 8.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 9.5% | 8.2% | 10.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 11.9% | 9.8% | 16.4% | 6 |
| 2020s | 18.2% | 18.2% | 18.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 97 Guinea-Bissau 20.2% compare
- 98 Afghanistan 19.8% compare
- 99 Oman 18.8% compare
- 101 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 17.6% compare
- 102 Gambia 17.1% compare
- 103 Benin 16.9% 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 modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in Nigeria?
- Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in Nigeria was 18.2% in 2021, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 18.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 1982.
- How does Nigeria rank for modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women?
- Nigeria ranks 100th out of 113 countries with data for 2021.
- Is modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of married or co-habiting women who use at least one modern method of contraception vs. the average years of formal education that women between 15-64 years have attended.