Primary education, pupils (% female) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Primary education, pupils (% female) was 47.5% in 2016. ▲ Rising
Primary education, pupils in Nigeria, 1970–2016
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % female.
Analysis
In 2016, primary education, pupils in Nigeria stood at 47.5%.
The figure is down 2.3% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Nigeria peaked at 48.6% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 37.0%, in 1970.
That places Nigeria 175th out of 203 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils (% female) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % female | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 37.0% | — |
| 1971 | 38.4% | +3.9% |
| 1972 | 39.1% | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 40.0% | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 40.2% | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 42.6% | +6.0% |
| 1978 | 43.4% | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 43.1% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 43.5% | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 43.7% | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 43.4% | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 43.0% | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 43.0% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 44.0% | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 44.3% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 44.4% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 42.4% | -4.4% |
| 1989 | 45.0% | +6.1% |
| 1990 | 43.2% | -4.0% |
| 1991 | 43.8% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 44.1% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 43.7% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 44.1% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 44.5% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 45.3% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 43.8% | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 43.9% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 44.4% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 44.4% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 44.6% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 44.7% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 44.9% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 45.4% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 46.0% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 46.1% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 46.3% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 46.7% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 47.3% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 48.4% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 48.4% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 48.6% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 47.5% | -2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 40.5% | 37.0% | 43.4% | 8 |
| 1980s | 43.7% | 42.4% | 45.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 44.1% | 43.2% | 45.3% | 8 |
| 2000s | 45.1% | 43.9% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.8% | 46.7% | 48.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
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 in Nigeria?
- Primary education, pupils in Nigeria was 47.5% in 2016, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 48.6% in 2014.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.0% in 1970.
- How does Nigeria rank for primary education, pupils?
- Nigeria ranks 175th out of 203 countries with data for 2016.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, pupils (% female). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female pupils as a percentage of total pupils at primary level include enrollments in public and private schools.