Youth/adult literacy rate in Nigeria
Nigeria: Youth/adult literacy rate was 81.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
81.4%
Change on year
up 10.4%
World rank
50th
of 57 countries
All-time high
81.4%
in 2024
All-time low
69.0%
in 2003
Years of data
5
2003–2024
Youth/adult literacy rate in Nigeria, 2003–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 81.4% for youth/adult literacy rate in 2024. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
The figure is up 10.4% on the previous year and up 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth/adult literacy rate in Nigeria peaked at 81.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 69.0%, in 2003.
That places Nigeria 50th out of 57 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Youth/adult literacy rate in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 69.0% | — |
| 2006 | 78.7% | +14.1% |
| 2016 | 73.0% | -7.3% |
| 2021 | 73.7% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 81.4% | +10.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 73.8% | 69.0% | 78.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 73.0% | 73.0% | 73.0% | 1 |
| 2020s | 77.5% | 73.7% | 81.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More education data for Nigeria
- 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)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 33.42 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.18 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth/adult literacy rate in Nigeria?
- Youth/adult literacy rate in Nigeria was 81.4% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest youth/adult literacy rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 81.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth/adult literacy rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.0% in 2003.
- How does Nigeria rank for youth/adult literacy rate?
- Nigeria ranks 50th out of 57 countries with data for 2024.
- Is youth/adult literacy rate rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Youth/adult literacy rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).