School age population, primary education, both sexes in Nigeria
Nigeria: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 33.60 million number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
33.60 million number
Change on year
up 2.6%
World rank
3rd
of 206 countries
All-time high
33.60 million number
in 2020
All-time low
8.59 million number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Nigeria, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2020, school age population, primary education, both sexes in Nigeria stood at 33.60 million number. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 32.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in Nigeria peaked at 33.60 million number in 2020 and was at its lowest, 8.59 million number, in 1970.
Nigeria ranks 3rd of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 8.59 million number | — |
| 1971 | 8.77 million number | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 9.01 million number | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 9.26 million number | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 9.51 million number | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 9.74 million number | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 9.96 million number | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 10.26 million number | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 10.61 million number | +3.4% |
| 1979 | 10.99 million number | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 11.39 million number | +3.6% |
| 1981 | 11.76 million number | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 12.20 million number | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 12.66 million number | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 13.10 million number | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 13.53 million number | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 13.93 million number | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 14.39 million number | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 14.86 million number | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 15.32 million number | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 15.73 million number | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 16.09 million number | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 16.51 million number | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 16.92 million number | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 17.30 million number | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 17.63 million number | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 17.90 million number | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 18.25 million number | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 18.64 million number | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 19.03 million number | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 19.41 million number | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 19.76 million number | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 20.21 million number | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 20.71 million number | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 21.25 million number | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 21.82 million number | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 22.39 million number | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 23.06 million number | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 23.78 million number | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 24.54 million number | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 25.33 million number | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 26.10 million number | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 26.95 million number | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 27.80 million number | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 28.64 million number | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 29.44 million number | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 30.20 million number | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 31.04 million number | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 31.89 million number | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 32.75 million number | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 33.60 million number | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.67 million number | 8.59 million number | 10.99 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.31 million number | 11.39 million number | 15.32 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.40 million number | 15.73 million number | 19.03 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.69 million number | 19.41 million number | 24.54 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.01 million number | 25.33 million number | 32.75 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.60 million number | 33.60 million number | 33.60 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More education data for Nigeria
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 913,305 (2021)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 1 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 5 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.5% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 89.59 (2023)
- School enrollment, primary 89.6% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in Nigeria?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in Nigeria was 33.60 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 33.60 million number in 2020.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.59 million number in 1970.
- How does Nigeria rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- Nigeria ranks 3rd out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.