Primary education, pupils, per square kilometre in Nigeria
Nigeria: Primary education, pupils, per square kilometre was 36.69 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils, per square kilometre in Nigeria, 1970–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 36.69 units per square kilometre for primary education, pupils, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 47 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.7% on the previous year and up 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils, per square kilometre in Nigeria peaked at 36.69 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.86 units per square kilometre, in 1970.
That places Nigeria 31st out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils, per square kilometre in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.86 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1971 | 4.28 units per square kilometre | +10.8% |
| 1972 | 4.82 units per square kilometre | +12.8% |
| 1973 | 5.12 units per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1976 | 5.37 units per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1977 | 6.77 units per square kilometre | +26.1% |
| 1978 | 8.89 units per square kilometre | +31.4% |
| 1979 | 10.83 units per square kilometre | +21.8% |
| 1980 | 11.86 units per square kilometre | +9.4% |
| 1981 | 13.3 units per square kilometre | +12.2% |
| 1982 | 15.11 units per square kilometre | +13.6% |
| 1983 | 15.71 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1984 | 16.09 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 15.79 units per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 14.3 units per square kilometre | -9.4% |
| 1987 | 14.18 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 13.93 units per square kilometre | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 13.97 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 14.94 units per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 1991 | 15.13 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 16.26 units per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1993 | 17.43 units per square kilometre | +7.2% |
| 1994 | 17.78 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 17.28 units per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 15.46 units per square kilometre | -10.6% |
| 1999 | 19.66 units per square kilometre | +27.2% |
| 2000 | 21.03 units per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 2001 | 20.91 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 21.75 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 22.62 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 23.49 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2005 | 24.28 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 25.1 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 23.62 units per square kilometre | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 21.97 units per square kilometre | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 23.01 units per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 22.69 units per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 25.99 units per square kilometre | +14.5% |
| 2012 | 27.25 units per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 28.73 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2014 | 28.33 units per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 8.86 units per square kilometre | -68.7% |
| 2016 | 28.1 units per square kilometre | +217.1% |
| 2018 | 30.62 units per square kilometre | +9.0% |
| 2020 | 33.05 units per square kilometre | +7.9% |
| 2021 | 33.44 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 36.69 units per square kilometre | +9.7% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 36.69 units per square kilometre is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.49 units per square kilometre, 3.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 36.69 units per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.28 units per square kilometre, 3.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, pupils, per square kilometre 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% | 8.86 units per square kilometre | 28.1 units per square kilometre |
| 2015 | -68.7% | 28.33 units per square kilometre | 8.86 units per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.24 units per square kilometre | 3.86 units per square kilometre | 10.83 units per square kilometre | 8 |
| 1980s | 14.42 units per square kilometre | 11.86 units per square kilometre | 16.09 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.74 units per square kilometre | 14.94 units per square kilometre | 19.66 units per square kilometre | 8 |
| 2000s | 22.78 units per square kilometre | 20.91 units per square kilometre | 25.1 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.07 units per square kilometre | 8.86 units per square kilometre | 30.62 units per square kilometre | 8 |
| 2020s | 34.39 units per square kilometre | 33.05 units per square kilometre | 36.69 units per square kilometre | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 28 Barbados 40.02 units per square kilometre compare
- 29 American Samoa 39.42 units per square kilometre compare
- 30 Sao Tome and Principe 38.72 units per square kilometre compare
- 32 Netherlands 33.95 units per square kilometre compare
- 33 Marshall Islands 32.31 units per square kilometre compare
- 34 Pakistan 31.93 units per square kilometre compare
More education data for Nigeria
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 74.51 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 75.68 (2023)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils, per square kilometre in Nigeria?
- Primary education, pupils, per square kilometre in Nigeria was 36.69 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils, per square kilometre recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 36.69 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils, per square kilometre recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.86 units per square kilometre in 1970.
- How does Nigeria rank for primary education, pupils, per square kilometre?
- Nigeria ranks 31st out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is primary education, pupils, per square kilometre 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, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 47 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Primary education, pupils divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Primary education, pupils ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Primary education, pupils Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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 divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.