Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Nigeria
Nigeria: Primary education, pupils, gaps filled was 33.42 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Nigeria, 1970–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Nigeria is 33.42 million, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.6% on the previous year and up 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Nigeria peaked at 33.42 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.52 million, in 1970.
That places Nigeria 3rd out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.52 million | — |
| 1971 | 3.89 million | +10.8% |
| 1972 | 4.39 million | +12.8% |
| 1973 | 4.66 million | +6.2% |
| 1974 | 4.74 million | +1.6% |
| 1975 | 4.81 million | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 4.89 million | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 6.17 million | +26.1% |
| 1978 | 8.10 million | +31.4% |
| 1979 | 9.87 million | +21.8% |
| 1980 | 10.80 million | +9.4% |
| 1981 | 12.12 million | +12.2% |
| 1982 | 13.76 million | +13.6% |
| 1983 | 14.31 million | +4.0% |
| 1984 | 14.65 million | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 14.38 million | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 13.03 million | -9.4% |
| 1987 | 12.91 million | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 12.69 million | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 12.72 million | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 13.61 million | +7.0% |
| 1991 | 13.78 million | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 14.81 million | +7.5% |
| 1993 | 15.87 million | +7.2% |
| 1994 | 16.19 million | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 15.74 million | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 14.08 million | -10.6% |
| 1997 | 15.35 million | +9.1% |
| 1998 | 16.63 million | +8.3% |
| 1999 | 17.91 million | +7.7% |
| 2000 | 19.15 million | +6.9% |
| 2001 | 19.04 million | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 19.81 million | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 20.60 million | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 21.40 million | +3.9% |
| 2005 | 22.12 million | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 22.86 million | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 21.51 million | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 20.01 million | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 20.96 million | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 20.66 million | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 23.67 million | +14.5% |
| 2012 | 24.82 million | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 26.17 million | +5.4% |
| 2014 | 25.80 million | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 8.07 million | -68.7% |
| 2016 | 25.59 million | +217.1% |
| 2017 | 26.74 million | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 27.89 million | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 28.99 million | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 30.10 million | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 30.46 million | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 31.94 million | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 33.42 million | +4.6% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 33.42 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.66 million, 20.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 33.42 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.40 million, 13.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +217.1% | 8.07 million | 25.59 million |
| 2015 | -68.7% | 25.80 million | 8.07 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.50 million | 3.52 million | 9.87 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.14 million | 10.80 million | 14.65 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.40 million | 13.61 million | 17.91 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.75 million | 19.04 million | 22.86 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.84 million | 8.07 million | 28.99 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.48 million | 30.10 million | 33.42 million | 4 |
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, 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)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 33.42 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Nigeria?
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled in Nigeria was 33.42 million in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 33.42 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils, gaps filled recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.52 million in 1970.
- How does Nigeria rank for primary education, pupils, gaps filled?
- Nigeria ranks 3rd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is primary education, pupils, gaps filled rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Primary education, pupils, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Primary education, pupils Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Primary education, pupils with 569 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.