School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) in Nigeria
Nigeria: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) was 6.42 million in 2025. ▼ Falling
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Nigeria, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2025, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Nigeria stood at 6.42 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Nigeria peaked at 11.21 million in 1998 and was at its lowest, 3.67 million, in 1999.
Nigeria ranks 9th of 222 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.04 million | — |
| 1971 | 5.18 million | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 5.34 million | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 5.50 million | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 5.68 million | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 5.89 million | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 6.11 million | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 6.35 million | +4.0% |
| 1978 | 6.62 million | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 6.92 million | +4.5% |
| 1980 | 7.22 million | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 7.52 million | +4.2% |
| 1982 | 7.82 million | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 8.09 million | +3.5% |
| 1984 | 8.27 million | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 8.47 million | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 8.67 million | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 8.89 million | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 9.07 million | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 9.23 million | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 9.35 million | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 9.49 million | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 9.66 million | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 9.89 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 10.14 million | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 10.39 million | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 10.64 million | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 10.91 million | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 11.21 million | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 3.67 million | -67.2% |
| 2000 | 3.78 million | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 3.90 million | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 4.00 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 4.10 million | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 4.21 million | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 4.37 million | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 4.57 million | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 4.72 million | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 4.87 million | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 5.03 million | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 5.17 million | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 5.33 million | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 5.48 million | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 5.62 million | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 5.79 million | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 5.93 million | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 6.06 million | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 6.20 million | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 6.28 million | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 6.36 million | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 6.46 million | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 6.48 million | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 6.46 million | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 6.45 million | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 6.44 million | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 6.42 million | -0.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 6.42 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 870,070, 7.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 6.42 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.14 million, 5.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | -67.2% | 11.21 million | 3.67 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.86 million | 5.04 million | 6.92 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.32 million | 7.22 million | 9.23 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.54 million | 3.67 million | 11.21 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.35 million | 3.78 million | 5.03 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.82 million | 5.17 million | 6.36 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.45 million | 6.42 million | 6.48 million | 6 |
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, 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 school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Nigeria?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in Nigeria was 6.42 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 11.21 million in 1998.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.67 million in 1999.
- How does Nigeria rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- Nigeria ranks 9th out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release