Average years of schooling in Nigeria
Nigeria: Average years of schooling was 7.18 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Nigeria, 1870–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2020, average years of schooling in Nigeria stood at 7.18 years. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 36.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Nigeria peaked at 7.18 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1 years, in 1870.
Nigeria ranks 113th of 162 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Average years of schooling in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.1 years | — |
| 1880 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.125 years | +25.0% |
| 1938 | 0.21 years | +68.0% |
| 1950 | 0.38 years | +81.0% |
| 1955 | 0.72 years | +89.5% |
| 1960 | 1.06 years | +47.2% |
| 1965 | 1.18 years | +11.3% |
| 1970 | 1.3 years | +10.2% |
| 1975 | 1.39 years | +6.5% |
| 1980 | 1.47 years | +6.1% |
| 1985 | 2.1 years | +42.5% |
| 1990 | 2.72 years | +29.8% |
| 1995 | 3.35 years | +23.3% |
| 2000 | 3.99 years | +18.9% |
| 2005 | 4.62 years | +15.7% |
| 2010 | 5.25 years | +13.6% |
| 2015 | 6 years | +14.4% |
| 2020 | 7.18 years | +19.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.1675 years | 0.125 years | 0.21 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.55 years | 0.38 years | 0.72 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 1.12 years | 1.06 years | 1.18 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 1.34 years | 1.3 years | 1.39 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 1.78 years | 1.47 years | 2.1 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 3.04 years | 2.72 years | 3.35 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 4.3 years | 3.99 years | 4.62 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 5.62 years | 5.25 years | 6 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 7.18 years | 7.18 years | 7.18 years | 1 |
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 average years of schooling in Nigeria?
- Average years of schooling in Nigeria was 7.18 years in 2020, according to Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 7.18 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1 years in 1870.
- How does Nigeria rank for average years of schooling?
- Nigeria ranks 113th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of years of total schooling (primary, secondary, and tertiary) for the population aged 15 and over.