Editing Demographics of Nigeria

{{Short description|None}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox place demographics
|place               = [[Nigeria]]
|image               = Nigeria single age population pyramid 2020.png
| image_size         = 350
| caption            = [[Population pyramid]] of Nigeria in 2020
| size_of_population = 218,541,212 (2022 est.)
| nation             = Nigerian
| official           = English
| age_0–14_years     = 41.7%
| age_65_years       = 3.3%
| growth             = 2.53% (2022 est.)
| birth              = 34.19 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
| death              = 8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
| net_migration      = −0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
| sr_at_birth        = 1.06 male(s)/female
| sr_under_15        = 1.04 male(s)/female
| sr_65_years_over   = 0.77 male(s)/female
| total_mf_ratio     = 1.02 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
| infant_mortality   = 56.68 deaths/1,000 live births
| life               = 52.68 years
| life_male          = 52.28 years
| life_female        = 53.07 years 
| fertility          = 4.62 children born/woman (2022 est.)}}
[[File:Historical population of Nigeria.svg|410x410px|alt=|thumb|Historical population of Nigeria]]

[[Nigeria]] is [[List of African countries by population|the most populous country in Africa]]<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Nigeria |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria/ |access-date=10 April 2018 |work=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |language=en |archive-date=9 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109223449/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nigeria, African Countries Lead as World Population Hits Eight Billion |url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/11/16/nigeria-african-countries-lead-as-world-population-hits-eight-billion/ |access-date=27 November 2022 |website=thisdaylive.com |archive-date=27 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127110421/https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/11/16/nigeria-african-countries-lead-as-world-population-hits-eight-billion/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Population in Africa, by country 2020 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1121246/population-in-africa-by-country/ |access-date=27 November 2022 |website=Statista |language=en |archive-date=27 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127110452/https://www.statista.com/statistics/1121246/population-in-africa-by-country/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=From the World's most populated countries to the least populated nations |language=en-us |website=nationsonline.org |url=https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/population-by-country.htm |access-date=27 November 2022 |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113215738/http://nationsonline.org/oneworld/population-by-country.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> and the [[List of countries and dependencies by population|sixth most populous in the world]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Country Comparison :: Population |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/335rank.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218221601/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/335rank.html |archive-date=18 December 2018 |access-date=24 November 2020 |work=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=12 July 2022 |title=Experts worry as Nigeria becomes 4th most populous country |url=https://dailytrust.com/experts-worry-as-nigeria-becomes-4th-most-populous-country/ |access-date=27 November 2022 |website=Daily Trust |language=en-GB }}{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Nigeria is also one of the most densely populated countries in [[Africa]], with approximately 218.5&nbsp;million people<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/|title=World Bank Open Data|website=World Bank Open Data|access-date=15 July 2018|archive-date=26 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526025607/https://data.worldbank.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> in an area of {{Convert|923768|km2|abbr=on|}}.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Akinyemi |first1=Akanni Ibukun |last2=Isiugo-Abanihe |first2=Uche C. |title=Demographic dynamics and development in Nigeria |journal=African Population Studies |date=24 March 2014 |volume=27 |issue=2 |pages=239–248 |doi=10.11564/27-2-471 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Buhari: By 2050, Nigeria's Population Projected to Rank Third Worldwide after India, China – THISDAYLIVE |url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/08/11/buhari-by-2050-nigerias-population-projected-to-rank-third-worldwide-after-india-china/ |access-date=27 November 2022 |website=thisdaylive.com |archive-date=27 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127185440/https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/08/11/buhari-by-2050-nigerias-population-projected-to-rank-third-worldwide-after-india-china/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

54.3% of Nigerians are urban dwellers, with the annual rate of urbanisation being estimated at 3.92%.<ref name=":2"/>{{efn|compare to Nigeria's overall growth rate 2.53%}} Nigeria is home to 371 ethnic groups speaking [[Languages of Nigeria|over 500 languages]]<ref name=":2"/> and the variety of customs and traditions among them gives the country great cultural diversity. Three largest ethnic groups, namely the [[Hausa people|Hausa]], [[Yoruba people|Yorubas]], and [[Igbo people|Igbos]] constitute more than 60% of the population.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=18 July 2019 |title=Largest Ethnic Groups In Nigeria |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/largest-ethnic-groups-in-nigeria.html |access-date=27 November 2022 |website=WorldAtlas |language=en-US |archive-date=27 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127190149/https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/largest-ethnic-groups-in-nigeria.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 May 2017 |title=Full list of all 371 tribes in Nigeria, states where they originate |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/full-list-of-all-371-tribes-in-nigeria-states-where-they-originate/ |access-date=27 November 2022 |website=Vanguard News |language=en-GB |archive-date=7 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207165129/https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/full-list-of-all-371-tribes-in-nigeria-states-where-they-originate/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nigeria – The Road North |date=January 2003 |url=https://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/nigeria/facts.html |access-date=27 November 2022 |publisher=PBS |archive-date=27 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127190500/https://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/nigeria/facts.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Ijaw people|Ijaw]], [[Efik people|Efik]], [[Ibibio people|Ibibio]], [[Annang]], [[Ogoni people|Ogoni]], [[Tiv people|Tiv]], [[Urhobo-Isoko]], [[Edo people|Edo]] and [[Itsekiri people|Itsekiri]] are some of the other sizeable ethnic groups.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=LeVan |first1=A. Carl |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oLRwDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA427 |title=The Oxford Handbook of Nigerian Politics |last2=Ukata |first2=Patrick |date=25 October 2018 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-880430-7 |language=en}}</ref> Over 1.2 million people living in Nigeria (0.5% of its total population, or 1 in every 200 people living in Nigeria) are from a continent other than Africa. There are 100,000 people from the United States,<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 April 2020 |title=Impacts of Coronavirus on Developing Countries |url=http://trinitamonti.org/2020/04/30/impacts-of-coronavirus-on-developing-countries/ |access-date=27 November 2022 |website=Trinità dei Monti |language=it-IT |archive-date=27 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127193312/http://trinitamonti.org/2020/04/30/impacts-of-coronavirus-on-developing-countries/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 75,000 are from [[Lebanon]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/features/planes-and-pyramids-surreal-mansions-lebanons-nigeria-avenue|title=Planes and pyramids: The surreal mansions of Lebanon's Nigeria Avenue|website=Middle East Eye édition française|access-date=24 March 2024|archive-date=24 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324012224/https://www.middleeasteye.net/features/planes-and-pyramids-surreal-mansions-lebanons-nigeria-avenue|url-status=live}}</ref> 60,000 are from China<ref>{{Cite book |jstor=j.ctt3fhwkz |title=China and Africa |last1=Shinn |first1=David H. |last2=Eisenman |first2=Joshua |year=2012 |isbn=9780812244199 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press}}</ref> and 16,000 are from the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/brits_abroad/html/africa.stm |title=Brits Abroad |publisher=BBC News |access-date=11 November 2020 |archive-date=27 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327073432/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/brits_abroad/html/africa.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Nigeria has a young population overall, with 42.54% of inhabitants between the ages of 0–14.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lysonski |first1=Steven |last2=Durvasula |first2=Srinivas |title=Nigeria in transition: acculturation to global consumer culture |journal=Journal of Consumer Marketing |date=28 October 2013 |volume=30 |issue=6 |pages=493–508 |doi=10.1108/JCM-07-2013-0626 |url=https://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/139 |access-date=26 August 2021 |archive-date=19 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419223109/https://epublications.marquette.edu/market_fac/139/ |url-status=live }}</ref> There is also a very high dependency ratio at 88.2 dependents per 100 non-dependents.<ref name=":2" /> The three main religious groups are Muslims (estimated to be 53.5% of the total population), Christians (estimated at 45.9%), and adherents of indigenous religions (estimated at 0.6%).<ref name="ciafactbook">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria/ |title=Nigeria |work=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |year=2018 |access-date=24 January 2021 |archive-date=9 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109223449/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria |url-status=live }}</ref> The predominantly Christian [[Igbo people|Igbo]] are found in the south-east.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Okeke |first1=Chukwuma O. |last2=Ibenwa |first2=Christopher N. |last3=Okeke |first3=Gloria Tochukwu |title=Conflicts Between African Traditional Religion and Christianity in Eastern Nigeria: The Igbo Example |journal=SAGE Open |date=April 2017 |volume=7 |issue=2 |doi=10.1177/2158244017709322 |doi-access=free }}</ref> [[Roman Catholicism]] is the largest Christian [[Denominations of Christianity|denomination]] in [[Igboland]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nwaka |first=Jacinta C. |title=Beyond the Service of Schools: The Catholic Church and the Use of Creative Art in the Evangelization of the Lower Niger |year=2011 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41857175 |journal=Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria |volume=20 |pages=67–86 |jstor=41857175 |issn=0018-2540 |access-date=27 November 2022 |archive-date=27 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127194309/https://www.jstor.org/stable/41857175 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=7 May 2020 |title=Catholic life in Igboland, Nigeria's Catholic stronghold |url=https://www.catholicsandcultures.org/catholic-life-igboland-nigerias-catholic-stronghold |access-date=27 November 2022 |website=Catholics & Cultures |language=en |archive-date=7 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907204605/https://www.catholicsandcultures.org/catholic-life-igboland-nigerias-catholic-stronghold |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Christianity in Nigeria |url=https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/faq/christianity-nigeria |access-date=27 November 2022 |website=rpl.hds.harvard.edu |language=en |archive-date=20 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320065401/https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/faq/christianity-nigeria |url-status=live }}</ref> but [[Anglicanism]] is also strong, as are [[Pentecostalism]] and other [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] denominations.

Persons of different ethnic backgrounds most commonly communicate in English, although knowledge of two or more Nigerian languages is widespread. [[Hausa language|Hausa]], [[Igbo language|Igbo]] and [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]] are the most widely used Nigerian languages. [[Nigerian Pidgin]] is used widely as an unofficial medium of communication, especially in the Nigerian cities of [[Warri]], [[Sapele, Delta|Sapele]], [[Ughelli]], [[Benin City|Benin]], and [[Port Harcourt]].<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Analysis of Discourse in Nigerian Pidgin |url=http://www.sejongjul.org/archive/view_article?pid=jul-16-1-131 |last=Osoba |first=Joseph Babasola |year=2015 |journal=Journal of Universal Language |volume=16 |pages=131–159 |doi=10.22425/jul.2015.16.1.131 |access-date=27 May 2020 |doi-access=free |archive-date=2 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802150945/https://www.sejongjul.org/archive/view_article?pid=jul-16-1-131 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Population==
{{Historical populations
|percentages=pagr
|1000|7000000
|1500|10000000
|1921|18720000
|1952|30403305
|1962|45920000
|1991|88992200
|2006|140431790
|2011|162471000
|2022|227830000}}
[[File:Nigeria lato.svg|thumb|right|Total population of states in Nigeria, according to the 2006 census.]]

Nigeria's population has been increasing rapidly for at least the last 5 decades due to very high birth rates, quadrupling its population during this time. Growth was fastest in the 1980s, after child mortality dropped rapidly. It has slowed slightly since then as both the birth rate and total fertility, rate have declined marginally since a 1978 peak. According to the 2017 revision of the [[World Population Prospects]] the total population was 191 million in 2016, compared to only 38 million in 1950. The proportion of children under the age of 15 in 2010 was 44.0%, 53.2% were between 15 and 65 years of age, while 2.7% were 65 years or older. There is a large degree of [[population momentum]], with 3.2 per cent growth leading to the projected population of 546 million by 2100.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.populationpyramid.net/population-size-per-country/2100// |title=Countries Ordered by Population in 2100 |access-date=27 February 2024 |archive-date=12 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230912212557/https://www.populationpyramid.net/population-size-per-country/2100/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The federal government has not elected to implement the type of controversial [[family planning]] programs that have reduced population growth of other developing nations, a result of low political support for these programs and a cultural preference for large families as well as high levels of social instability. Rising educational levels and health care improvements may enable future parents to plan for smaller families.<ref name="ciafactbook"/>

The former Nigeria's chairman of [[National Population Commission]], Eze Duruiheoma, delivering Nigeria's statement in [[New York City]] on [[sustainable cities]], human mobility and [[international migration]] in the 51st session of Commission on Population and Development, said that "Nigeria remains the most populous in Africa, the seventh globally with an estimated population of over 198 million. The World Population Prospects predicts that by 2050, Nigeria will become the third most populated country in the world. Over the last 50 years, Nigeria's urban population has grown at an average annual growth rate of more than 6.5% without commensurate increases in social amenities and infrastructure." He also stated that the population "grew substantially from 17.3% in 1967 to 49.4% in 2017."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://population.gov.ng/nigerias-population-hit-198m-people-npopc-chairman/ |title=NIGERIA'S POPULATION HITS 198M PEOPLE – NPopC CHAIRMAN |publisher=National Population Commission of Nigeria |access-date=14 July 2018 |archive-date=29 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629021739/http://population.gov.ng/nigerias-population-hit-198m-people-npopc-chairman/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>



[[File:Bevölkerungpyramide Nigeria 1963.PNG|alt=Population pyramid of Nigeria in 1963 (Hausa)|thumb|345x345px|Population pyramid of Nigeria in 1963 (Hausa)]]
{{GraphChart
| width = 450
| height = 150
| xAxisTitle=years
| yAxisTitle= ‰
| yAxisMin=
| yGrid= 0,1
| xGrid= 10
| hAnnotatonsLine=
| hAnnotatonsLabel=
| legend=
| type = line
| x = 1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

| y1= 18.5,18.5,18.5,18.8,18.9,19.1,19.2,19.4,19.5,19.7,19.9,20.2,20.5,20.8,21.0,21.3,21.4,20.3,21.2,21.4,22.3,23.3,24.0,24.8,25.9,26.8,27.6,28.2,28.7,28.5,28.3,28.1,
27.8,27.8,27.1,26.4,25.6,25.3,25.2,25.4,25.2,24.9,24.9,25.0,24.9,24.9,24.8,24.6,24.6,25.4,26.0,26.4,26.6,26.9,26.9,27.2,27.3,27.4,27.5,27.6,27.5,27.5,27.0,26.6,26.2,25.7,25.5,25.3,25.0,24.9,24.5,24.0

| y1Title=Natural change (per 1000)
}}

{{GraphChart
| width = 450
| height = 150
| xAxisTitle=years
| yAxisTitle= ‰
| yAxisMin=
| yGrid= 0,1
| xGrid= 10
| hAnnotatonsLine=
| hAnnotatonsLabel=
| legend=
| type = line
| x = 1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

| y1= 184.0,183.2,181.6,180.4,179.0,177.9,176.9,176.0,175.1,173.8,172.4,171.0,169.6,167.2,165.9,165.0,164.2,165.8,163.6,162.6,160.7,156.9,153.0,149.0,144.9,141.0,137.2,133.8,130.7,128.1,126.1,124.4,123.5,123.1,123.2,123.5,123.9,124.3,124.6,124.6,124.5,124.4,123.9,123.4,122.6,121.6,120.3,118.4,116.2,113.7,110.9,108.1,105.2,102.3,99.5,96.6,94.0,91.7,89.6,87.8,86.4,85.1,84.0,83.1,82.4,81.6,80.6,79.4,77.9,76.3,74.7,73.0

| y1Title=Infant mortality (per 1000 live births)
}}

{{GraphChart
| width = 450
| height = 150
| xAxisTitle=years
| yAxisTitle= TFR
| yAxisMin=
| yGrid= 0,1
| xGrid= 10
| hAnnotatonsLine=
| hAnnotatonsLabel=
| legend=
| type = line
| x = 1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

| y1= 6.42,6.42,6.39,6.40,6.40,6.40,6.41,6.40,6.39,6.38,6.36,6.35,6.36,6.35,6.36,6.37,6.39,6.40,6.42,6.44,6.47,6.53,6.58,6.63,6.70,6.77,6.81,6.86,6.92,6.89,6.85,6.82,
6.80,6.78,6.70,6.62,6.56,6.50,6.50,6.49,6.46,6.43,6.39,6.35,6.32,6.27,6.22,6.14,6.07,6.08,6.12,6.14,6.14,6.12,6.09,6.07,6.08,6.08,6.08,6.04,5.98,5.92,5.83,5.74,
5.66,5.62,5.58,5.52,5.45,5.38,5.31,5.24

| y1Title=Total fertility rate
}}

===Population by sex and age===
Population by sex and age group (Census 21.III.2006)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.population.gov.ng/images/Priority%20table%20Vol%204.pdf |title=Federal Republic of Nigeria: 2006 Population and Housing Census - Population distribution by age & sex |access-date=19 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120201645/http://www.population.gov.ng/images/Priority%20table%20Vol%204.pdf |archive-date=20 January 2017 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! width="50"|Age 
! width="80" |Population
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 140,431,790
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 22,594,967
| align="right" | 16.09
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 20,005,380
| align="right" | 14.25
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 16,135,950
| align="right" | 11.49
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 14,899,419
| align="right" | 10.61
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 13,435,079
| align="right" | 9.57
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 12,211,426
| align="right" | 8.70
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 9,467,538
| align="right" | 6.74
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 7,331,755
| align="right" | 5.22
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 6,456,470
| align="right" | 4.60
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 4,591,293
| align="right" | 3.27
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 4,249,219
| align="right" | 3.03
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 2,066,247
| align="right" | 1.47
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 2,450,286
| align="right" | 1.74
|-
| align="right" | 65–69
| align="right" | 1,151,048
| align="right" | 0.82
|-
| align="right" | 70–74
| align="right" | 1,264,937
| align="right" | 0.95
|-
| align="right" | 75–79
| align="right" | 579,838
| align="right" | 0.41
|-
| align="right" | 80–84
| align="right" | 760,053
| align="right" | 0.54
|-
| align="right" | 85+
| align="right" | 715,225
| align="right" | 0.51
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 58,736,297
| align="right" | 30,462,148
| align="right" | 28,274,149
| align="right" | 41.83
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 77,158,732
| align="right" | 38,348,799
| align="right" | 38,809,933
| align="right" | 54.94
|-
| align="right" | 65+ 
| align="right" | 4,536,761
| align="right" | 2,534,541
| align="right" | 2,002,220
| align="right" | 3.23
|-
|}

Population by age group (estimates 1.VII.2016) (Data are projections based on the 2006 Population Census.)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/dyb_2020/ |title=Demographic and Social Statistics |publisher=United Nations |access-date=16 April 2022 |archive-date=14 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414000805/https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/dyb_2020/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! width="50"|Age 
! width="80" |Population
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 193,392,517
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 31,116,156
| align="right" | 16.09
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 27,549,964
| align="right" | 14.25
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 22,221,265
| align="right" | 11.49
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 20,518,404
| align="right" | 10.61
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 18,501,820
| align="right" | 9.57
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 16,816,694
| align="right" | 8.70
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 13,038,009
| align="right" | 6.74
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 10,096,763
| align="right" | 5.22
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 8,891,384
| align="right" | 4.60
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 6,322,797
| align="right" | 3.27
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 5,851,717
| align="right" | 3.03
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 2,845,486
| align="right" | 1.47
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 3,374,357
| align="right" | 1.74
|-
| align="right" | 65–69
| align="right" | 1,585,140
| align="right" | 0.82
|-
| align="right" | 70–74
| align="right" | 1,832,402
| align="right" | 0.95
|-
| align="right" | 75–79
| align="right" | 798,511
| align="right" | 0.41
|-
| align="right" | 80–84
| align="right" | 1,046,690
| align="right" | 0.54
|-
| align="right" | 85+
| align="right" | 984,956
| align="right" | 0.51
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 80,887,385
| align="right" | 41.83
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 107,242,389
| align="right" | 55.45
|-
| align="right" | 65+ 
| align="right" | 5,262,743
| align="right" | 2.72
|-
|}

Population by age group (estimates 1.VII.2020) (Source: National Population Commission.)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/#statistics|title=Demographic and Social Statistics|publisher=United Nations|access-date=3 January 2023|archive-date=18 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218223334/https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/#statistics|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! width="50"|Age 
! width="80" |Population
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 206,283,338
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 32,819,289
| align="right" | 15.91
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 29,231,173
| align="right" | 14.17
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 25,970,650
| align="right" | 12.59
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 20,342,647
| align="right" | 9.86
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 17,871,826
| align="right" | 8.66
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 14,992,764
| align="right" | 7.27
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 13,402,007
| align="right" | 6.50
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 12,505,764
| align="right" | 6.06
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 10,427,144
| align="right" | 5.05
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 7,963,484
| align="right" | 3.86
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 6,383,640
| align="right" | 3.09
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 5,002,819
| align="right" | 2.43
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 3,696,336
| align="right" | 1.79
|-
| align="right" | 65–69
| align="right" | 2,447,988
| align="right" | 1.19
|-
| align="right" | 70–74
| align="right" | 1,591,000
| align="right" | 0.77
|-
| align="right" | 75–79
| align="right" | 915,154
| align="right" | 0.44
|-
| align="right" | 80+
| align="right" | 719,653
| align="right" | 0.35
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 88,021,112
| align="right" | 42.67
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 112,588,431
| align="right" | 54.58
|-
| align="right" | 65+ 
| align="right" | 5,673,795
| align="right" | 2.75
|-
|}

===Population projections===
The total population in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to increase to almost one billion people, making it the most populated region outside of South-Central Asia.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |title=Population and Development: The Demographic Transition |last=Dyson |first=Tim |publisher=Zed Books |year=2010 |pages=70–77}}</ref> According to the United Nations, the population of Nigeria will reach 375 million by 2050. Nigeria might then be the 3rd most populous country in the world. In 2100, the population of Nigeria may reach 541&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.populationpyramid.net/population-size-per-country/2100// |title=Countries Ordered by Population in 2100 |access-date=27 February 2024 |archive-date=12 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230912212557/https://www.populationpyramid.net/population-size-per-country/2100/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> While the overall population is expected to increase, the growth rate is estimated to decrease from 1.2 per cent per year in 2010 to 0.4 per cent per year in 2050.<ref name=":1" /> The [[birth rate]] is also projected to decrease from 20.7 to 13.7, while the [[death rate]] is projected to increase from 8.5 in 2010 to 9.8 in 2050.<ref name=":1" /> By 2050, 69.6% of the population is estimated to be living in urban areas compared to 50.6% in 2010.<ref name=":1" />

==Vital statistics==
[[File:Nigeria Population 1950-2021 Forecast 2022-2032 UN World Population Prospects 2022.svg|thumb|350px|Demographics development according to the United Nations]]
Registration of vital events in Nigeria is not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates (''UN World Population Prospects 2022'').<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations |url=https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/MostUsed/ |access-date=11 July 2022 |publisher=United Nations |archive-date=11 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711213112/https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/MostUsed/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: right;"
|-
! width="70" |Period
! Population per year
! width="70" |Live births per year
! width="70" |Deaths per year
! width="70" |Natural change per year
! width="70" |CBR*
! width="70" |CDR*
! width="70" |NC*
! width="70" |TFR*
! width="70" |IMR*
|-
|1950
|36 836 000
|1,697,000
|1,010,000
| 687,000
|45.6
|27.1
|18.5
|6.42
|184.0
|-
|1951
|37 543 000
| 1,731,000
| 1,028,000
| 702,000
|45.7
|27.1
|18.5
|6.42
|183.2
|-
|1952
|38 263 000
| 1,760,000
| 1,044,000
| 716,000
|45.6
|27.0
|18.5
|6.39
|181.6
|-
|1953
|38 986 000
| 1,797,000
| 1,056,000
| 741,000
|45.7
|26.8
|18.8
|6.40
|180.4
|-
|1954
|39 710 000
| 1,831,000
| 1,074,000
| 757 000
|45.7
|26.8
|18.9
|6.40
|179.0
|-
|1955
|40 455 000
| 1,869,000
| 1,088,000
| 781,000
|45.7
|26.6
|19.1
|6.40
|177.9
|-
|1956
|41 223 000
| 1,909,000
| 1,109,000
| 800,000
|45.8
|26.6
|19.2
|6.41
|176.9
|-
|1957
|42 010 000
| 1,948,000
| 1,124,000
| 824,000
|45.9
|26.5
|19.4
|6.40
|176.0
|-
|1958
|42 817 000
| 1,988,000
| 1,145,000
| 843,000
|46.0
|26.5
|19.5
|6.39
|175.1
|-
|1959
|43 613 000
| 2,026,000
| 1,159,000
| 866,000
|46.0
|26.3
|19.7
|6.38
|173.8
|-
|1960
|44 476 000
| 2,072,000
| 1,179,000
| 893,000
|46.1
|26.2
|19.9
|6.36
|172.4
|-
|1961
|45 381 000
| 2,120,000
| 1,192,000
| 928,000
|46.2
|26.0
|20.2
|6.35
|171.0
|-
|1962
|46 330 000
| 2,174,000
| 1,214,000
| 960,000
|46.4
|25.9
|20.5
|6.36
|169.6
|-
|1963
|47 314 000
| 2,220,000
| 1,224,000
| 996,000
|46.4
|25.6
|20.8
|6.35
|167.2
|-
|1964
|48 332 000
| 2,270,000
| 1,242,000
| 1,028,000
|46.5
|25.4
|21.0
|6.36
|165.9
|-
|1965
|49 381 000
| 2,320,000
| 1,258,000
| 1,061,000
|46.5
|25.2
|21.3
|6.37
|165.0
|-
|1966
|50 471 000
| 2,373,000
| 1,281,000
| 1,092,000
|46.5
|25.1
|21.4
|6.39
|164.2
|-
|1967
|51 570 000
| 2,424,000
| 1,365,000
| 1,059,000
|46.5
|26.2
|20.3
|6.40
|165.8
|-
|1968
|52 643 000
| 2,478,000
| 1,349,000
| 1,129,000
|46.6
|25.4
|21.2
|6.42
|163.6
|-
|1969
|53 577 000
| 2,533,000
| 1,367,000
| 1,166,000
|46.6
|25.2
|21.4
|6.44
|162.6
|-
|1970
|54 945 000
| 2,595,000
| 1,353,000
| 1,241,000
|46.7
|24.3
|22.3
|6.47
|160.7
|-
|1971
|56 194 000
| 2,671,000
| 1,348,000
| 1,323,000
|47.0
|23.7
|23.3
|6.53
|156.9
|-
|1972
|57 481 000
| 2,741,000
| 1,343,000
| 1,398,000
|47.1
|23.1
|24.0
|6.58
|153.0
|-
|1973
|58 866 000
| 2,819,000
| 1,341,000
| 1,479,000
|47.3
|22.5
|24.8
|6.63
|149.0
|-
|1974
|60 344 000
| 2,922,000
| 1,340,000
| 1,583,000
|47.8
|21.9
|25.9
|6.70
|144.9
|-
|1975
|61 971 000
| 3,021,000
| 1,336,000
| 1,684,000
|48.1
|21.3
|26.8
|6.77
|141.0
|-
|1976
|63 731 000
| 3,106,000
| 1,324,000
| 1,781,000
|48.1
|20.5
|27.6
|6.81
|137.2
|-
|1977
|65 585 000
| 3,203,000
| 1,323,000
| 1,880,000
|48.1
|19.9
|28.2
|6.86
|133.8
|-
|1978
|67 594 000
| 3,308,000
| 1,340,000
| 1,968,000
|style="color:blue"|48.2
|19.5
|style="color:blue"|28.7
|style="color:blue"|6.92
|130.7
|-
|1979
|69 673 000
| 3,385,000
| 1,367,000
| 2,017,000
|47.9
|19.3
|28.5
|6.89
|128.1
|-
|1980
|71 828 000
| 3,460,000
| 1,397,000
| 2,063,000
|47.5
|19.2
|28.3
|6.85
|126.1
|-
|1981
|74 075 000
| 3,537,000
| 1,426,000
| 2,111,000
|47.1
|19.0
|28.1
|6.82
|124.4
|-
|1982
|76 276 000
| 3,613,000
| 1,462,000
| 2,151,000
|46.7
|18.9
|27.8
|6.80
|123.5
|-
|1983
|78 500 000
| 3,704,000
| 1,494,000
| 2,210,000
|46.5
|18.8
|27.8
|6.78
|123.1
|-
|1984
|80 203 000
| 3,726,000
| 1,524,000
| 2,202,000
|45.8
|18.7
|27.1
|6.70
|123.2
|-
|1985
|82 472 000
| 3,777,000
| 1,571,000
| 2,206,000
|45.2
|18.8
|26.4
|6.62
|123.5
|-
|1986
|84 698 000
| 3,824,000
| 1,624,000
| 2,200,000
|44.6
|18.9
|25.6
|6.56
|123.9
|-
|1987
|86 910 000
| 3,884,000
| 1,656,000
| 2,228,000
|44.1
|18.8
|25.3
|6.50
|124.3
|-
|1988
|89 178 000
| 3,963,000
| 1,689,000
| 2,274,000
|43.9
|18.7
|25.2
|6.50
|124.6
|-
|1989
|91 525 000
| 4,080,000
| 1,723,000
| 2,357,000
|44.0
|18.6
|25.4
|6.49
|124.6
|-
|1990
|93 963 000
| 4,168,000
| 1,773,000
| 2,395,000
|43.8
|18.6
|25.2
|6.46
|124.5
|-
|1991
|96 465 000
| 4,266,000
| 1,839,000
| 2,428,000
|43.7
|18.8
|24.9
|6.43
|124.4
|-
|1992
|98 906 000
| 4,373,000
| 1,884,000
| 2,489,000
|43.7
|18.8
|24.9
|6.39
|123.9
|-
|1993
|101 458 000
| 4,495,000
| 1,922,000
| 2,573,000
|43.7
|18.7
|25.0
|6.35
|123.4
|-
|1994
|104 092 000
| 4,619,000
| 1,989,000
| 2,629,000
|43.8
|18.9
|24.9
|6.32
|122.6
|-
|1995
|106 820 000
| 4,732,000
| 2,040,000
| 2,692,000
|43.7
|18.9
|24.9
|6.27
|121.6
|-
|1996
|109 555 000
| 4,828,000
| 2,081,000
| 2,747,000
|43.5
|18.8
|24.8
|6.22
|120.3
|-
|1997
|112 357 000
| 4,910,000
| 2,108,000
| 2,801,000
|43.2
|18.5
|24.6
|6.14
|118.4
|-
|1998
|115 225 000
| 5,002,000
| 2,134,000
| 2,868,000
|42.9
|18.3
|24.6
|6.07
|116.2
|-
|1999
|118 156 000
| 5,177,000
| 2,138,000
| 3,039,000
|43.2
|17.9
|25.4
|6.08
|113.7
|-
|2000
|121 235 000
| 5,345,000
| 2,146,000
| 3,199,000
|43.5
|17.5
|26.0
|6.12
|110.9
|-
|2001
|124 468 000
| 5,496,000
| 2,165,000
| 3,331,000
|43.6
|17.2
|26.4
|6.14
|108.1
|-
|2002
|127 837 000
| 5,645,000
| 2,192,000
| 3,453,000
|43.6
|16.9
|26.6
|6.14
|105.2
|-
|2003
|131 329 000
| 5,779,000
| 2,202,000
| 3,577,000
|43.4
|16.5
|26.9
|6.12
|102.3
|-
|2004
|134 910 000
| 5,902,000
| 2,225,000
| 3,676,000
|43.2
|16.3
|26.9
|6.09
|99.5
|-
|2005
|138,603,000
| 6,054,000
| 2,232,000
| 3,822,000
|43.1
|15.9
|27.2
|6.07
|96.6
|-
|2006
|142,378,000
| 6,191,000
| 2,247,000
| 3,945,000
|42.9
|15.6
|27.3
|6.08
|94.0
|-
|2007
|146,281,000
| 6,337,000
| 2,273,000
| 4,064,000
|42.7
|15.3
|27.4
|6.08
|91.7
|-
|2008
|150,307,000
| 6,506,000
| 2,311,000
| 4,195,000
|42.7
|15.2
|27.5
|6.08
|89.6
|-
|2009
|154,458,000
| 6,645,000
| 2,321,000
| 4,323,000
|42.4
|14.8
|27.6
|6.04
|87.8
|-
|2010
|158,733,000
| 6,776,000
| 2,355,000
| 4,421,000
|42.1
|14.6
|27.5
|5.98
|86.4
|-
|2011
|163,173,000
| 6,916,000
| 2,372,000
| 4,544,000
|41.8
|14.3
|27.5
|5.92
|85.1
|-
|2012
|167,755,000
| 7,014,000
| 2,414,000
| 4,600,000
|41.2
|14.2
|27.0
|5.83
|84.0
|-
|2013
|172,397,000
| 7,095,000
| 2,447,000
| 4,648,000
|40.6
|14.0
|26.6
|5.74
|83.1
|-
|2014
|177,055,000
| 7,189,000
| 2,493,000
| 4,697,000
|40.1
|13.9
|26.2
|5.66
|82.4
|-
|2015
|181,703,000
| 7,273,000
| 2,541,000
| 4,732,000
|39.5
|13.8
|25.7
|5.62
|81.6
|-
|2016
|186,289,000
| 7,384,000
| 2,574,000
| 4,810,000
|39.1
|13.6
|25.5
|5.58
|80.6
|-
|2017
|191,045,000
| 7,487,000
| 2,600,000
| 4,887,000
|38.7
|13.4
|25.3
|5.52
|79.4
|-
|2018
|195,947,000
| 7,590,000
| 2,627,000
| 4,963,000
|38.2
|13.2
|25.0
|5.45
|77.9
|-
|2019
|200,828,000
| 7,698,000
| 2,642,000
| 5,056,000
|37.8
|13.0
|24.9
|5.38
|76.3
|-
|2020
|205,781,000
|style="color:blue"|7,806,000
| 2,708,000
|style="color:blue"|5,098,000
|37.5
|13.0
|24.5
|5.31
|74.7
|-
|2021
|218,529,000
| 7,331,000
| 2,689,000
| 4,556,000
|33.5
|12.3
|20.9
||4.64
|73.0
|-
|2022
|223,151,000
| 7,407,000
| 2,667,000
| 4,688,000
| 33.2
|12.0
|21.0
|4.55
|71.2
|-
|2023
|style="color:blue"|227,883,000
|7,510,000
| 2,675,000
| 4,776,000
|style="color:red"|33.0
|style="color:blue"|11.7
|21.0
|style="color:red" |4.48
|69.5
|-
| colspan="10" align="left" | * <small> CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)</small>
|}

===Demographic and Health Surveys===
[[Total fertility rate]] (TFR) (Wanted TFR) and [[crude birth rate]] (CBR):<ref>{{cite web |url=http://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/dhs#_r=&collection=&country=&dtype=&from=1890&page=12&ps=&sk=&sort_by=nation&sort_order=&to=2014&topic=&view=s&vk= |title=MEASURE DHS: Demographic and Health Surveys |publisher=World Bank |access-date=29 August 2017 |archive-date=15 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115005515/http://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/dhs#_r=&collection=&country=&dtype=&from=1890&page=12&ps=&sk=&sort_by=nation&sort_order=&to=2014&topic=&view=s&vk= |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prb.org/Articles/2006/IntheNewsTheNigerianCensus.aspx |title=In the News: The Nigerian Census |website=Prb.org |access-date=29 August 2017 |archive-date=25 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225080258/http://www.prb.org/Articles/2006/IntheNewsTheNigerianCensus.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.businessmonitor.com/bigdb_data/by_date/2013/no_month_day/story-Nigeria-Economy-2013-04-17-09-29-12.gif |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615223428/http://www.businessmonitor.com/bigdb_data/by_date/2013/no_month_day/story-Nigeria-Economy-2013-04-17-09-29-12.gif |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 June 2013 |format=GIF |title=Map of Central Africa |website=Businessmonitor.com |access-date=29 August 2017 }}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2127.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613002952/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2127.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 June 2007 |work=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |title=FIELD LISTING :: TOTAL FERTILITY RATE |access-date=14 July 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.CBRT.IN?end=2016&locations=NG&start=1960 |title=Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) |publisher=[[World Bank Group]] |access-date=15 July 2018 |archive-date=15 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715064423/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.CBRT.IN?end=2016&locations=NG&start=1960 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan=2| Year
! colspan=2| Total
! colspan=2| Urban
! colspan=2| Rural
|-
! CBR !! TFR
! CBR !! TFR
! CBR !! TFR
|-
| 1960
| style="text-align:right;"| 47
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.35
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1965–66
| style="text-align:right;"| 45.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.44
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1967–69
| style="text-align:right;"| 46.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.42
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1970
| style="text-align:right;"| 46.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.47
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1971–73
| style="text-align:right;"| 46.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.57
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1975
| style="text-align:right;"| 47.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.71
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1978–82
| style="text-align:right;"| 47
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.78
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1978–80
| style="text-align:right;"| 47
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.76
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1981–82
| style="text-align:right;"| 46.68
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.78
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1983–86
| style="text-align:right;"| 45.67
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1987–90
| style="text-align:right;"| 45.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.57
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 1990
| style="text-align:right;"| 44.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.49 (5.8)
| style="text-align:right;"| 34
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.033 (4.8)
| style="text-align:right;"| 40
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.326 (6.1)
|-
| 1999
| style="text-align:right;"| 43.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.13
| style="text-align:right;"| 35.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 4.50
| style="text-align:right;"| 38.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.44
|-
| 2003
| style="text-align:right;"| 42.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.04 (5.3)
| style="text-align:right;"| 36.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 4.9 (4.6)
| style="text-align:right;"| 44.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.1 (5.7)
|-
| 2004–07
| style="text-align:right;"| 42.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.97
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 2008
| style="text-align:right;"| 41.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.9 (5.3)
| style="text-align:right;"| 36.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 4.7 (4.4)
| style="text-align:right;"| 42.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.3 (5.8)
|-
| 2013
| style="text-align:right;"| 40.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.5 (4.8)
| style="text-align:right;"| 35
| style="text-align:right;"| 4.7 (4.1)
| style="text-align:right;"| 42
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.2 (5.3)
|-
| 2014–15
| style="text-align:right;"| 39.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.57
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 2018<ref>https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR359/FR359.pdf</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"|38
| style="text-align:right;"|5.3 (4.8)
| style="text-align:right;"|34
| style="text-align:right;"|4.5 (4.0)
| style="text-align:right;"|42
| style="text-align:right;"|5.9 (5.4)
|-
|2021<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Nigeria p. 23 |url=https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/media/6126/file/2021%20MICS%20Statistical%20Snapshots%20Report.pdf |access-date=5 September 2022 |publisher=UNICEF |archive-date=1 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901110855/https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/media/6126/file/2021%20MICS%20Statistical%20Snapshots%20Report.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|
| style="text-align:right;"|4.8
|
|
|
|
|-
|2023-24<ref>https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/PR157/PR157.pdf</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"|33
| style="text-align:right;"|4.8
| style="text-align:right;"|29
| style="text-align:right;"|3.9
| style="text-align:right;"|38
| style="text-align:right;"|5.6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! width="70"|Year 
! width="90" |[[Total fertility rate|TFR]]
|-
| align="right" | 1981–1982
| align="right" | 6.8
|-
| align="right" | 1990
| align="right" | 6.4
|-
| align="right" | 2003
| align="right" | 6.0 
|-
| align="right" | 2008
| align="right" | 5.9 
|-
| align="right" | 2013
| align="right" | 5.7 
|-
| align="right" | 2018
| align="right" | 5.3
|-
| align="right" |2021
| align="right" |4.8
|-
| align="right" |2023-24
| align="right" |4.8
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Variable 
! width="50" |TFR (Wanted TFR) (2003)
! width="50" |TFR (Wanted TFR) (2008)
! width="50" |TFR (Wanted TFR) (2013)
! width="50" |TFR (Wanted TFR) (2018)
! width="50" |TFR (Wanted TFR) (2023-24)
|-
| '''Nigeria'''
| align="right" | '''5.7 (5.3)'''
| align="right" | '''5.7 (5.3)'''
| align="right" | '''5.5 (4.8)'''
| align="right" | '''5.3 (4.8)'''
| align="right" | '''4.8'''
|-
| Urban
| align="right" | 4.9 (4.6)
| align="right" | 4.7 (4.4)
| align="right" | 4.7 (4.1)
| align="right" | 4.5 (4.0)
| align="right" | 3.9
|-
| Rural
| align="right" | 6.1 (5.7)
| align="right" | 6.3 (5.8)
| align="right" | 6.2 (5.3)
| align="right" | 5.9 (5.4)
| align="right" | 5.6
|-
| Region – North Central
| align="right" | 5.7
| align="right" | 5.4
| align="right" | 5.3
| align="right" | 5.0 (4.7)
| align="right" | 4.2
|-
| Region – North East
| align="right" | 7.0
| align="right" | 7.2
| align="right" | 6.3
| align="right" | 6.1 (5.6)
| align="right" | 6.1
|-
| Region – North West
| align="right" | 6.7
| align="right" | 7.3
| align="right" | 6.7
| align="right" | 6.6 (5.9)
| align="right" | 5.9
|-
| Region – South East
| align="right" | 4.1
| align="right" | 4.8
| align="right" | 4.7
| align="right" | 4.7 (4.3)
| align="right" | 4.1
|-
| Region – South South
| align="right" | 4.6
| align="right" | 4.7
| align="right" | 4.3
| align="right" | 4.0 (3.6)
| align="right" | 3.3
|-
| Region – South West
| align="right" | 4.1
| align="right" | 4.5
| align="right" | 4.6
| align="right" | 3.9 (3.5)
| align="right" | 3.4
|-
|}

Fertility data as of 2013 (DHS Program):<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR293/FR293.pdf |title=Demographic and Health Survey: 2013 |access-date=27 August 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706041111/http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR293/FR293.pdf |archive-date=6 July 2017 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:100pt;"| State
! style="width:100pt;"| Total fertility rate
! style="width:100pt;"| Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant
! style="width:100pt;"| Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49
|-
|[[Abuja]]|| 3.8|| 8.3 || 4.7
|-
|[[Benue State|Benue]]|| 5.2 || 13.0 || 6.8
|-
|[[Kogi State|Kogi]]|| 4.2 || 9.4 || 5.7
|-
|[[Kwara State|Kwara]]|| 5.1 || 7.2 || 5.2
|-
|[[Nasarawa State|Nasarawa]]|| 5.4 || 10.8 || 5.8
|-
|[[Niger State|Niger]]|| 6.1 || 14.8 || 5.8
|-
|[[Plateau State|Plateau]]|| 5.4 || 11.2 || 5.6
|-
|[[Adamawa State|Adamawa]]|| 5.8 || 15.6 || 6.7
|-
|[[Bauchi State|Bauchi]]|| 8.1 || 16.9 || 8.4
|-
|[[Borno State|Borno]]|| 4.7 || 12.7 || 5.2
|-
|[[Gombe State|Gombe]]|| 7.0 || 14.3 || 7.9
|-
|[[Taraba State|Taraba]]|| 6.0 || 10.6 || 7.1
|-
|[[Yobe State|Yobe]]|| 6.6 || 13.4 || 7.4
|-
|[[Jigawa State|Jigawa]]|| 7.6 || 15.1 || 7.6
|-
|[[Kaduna State|Kaduna]]|| 4.1 || 21.0 || 5.7
|-
|[[Kano State|Kano]]|| 6.8 || 12.6 || 7.7
|-
|[[Katsina State|Katsina]]|| 7.4 || 17.3 || 8.4
|-
|[[Kebbi State|Kebbi]]|| 6.7 || 16.9 || 8.2
|-
|[[Sokoto State|Sokoto]]|| 7.0 || 14.1 || 7.3
|-
|[[Zamfara State|Zamfara]]|| 8.4 || 17.0 || 8.7
|-
|[[Abia State|Abia]]|| 4.2 || 7.3 || 5.0
|-
|[[Anambra State|Anambra]]|| 4.2 || 6.0 || 4.7
|-
|[[Ebonyi State|Ebonyi]]|| 5.3 || 9.1 || 7.1
|-
|[[Enugu State|Enugu]]|| 4.8 || 8.4 || 5.9
|-
|[[Imo State|Imo]]|| 4.8 || 8.3 || 5.0
|-
|[[Akwa Ibom State|Akwa Ibom]]|| 3.9 || 5.3 || 5.4
|-
|[[Bayelsa State|Bayelsa]]|| 4.5 || 11.3 || 6.1
|-
|[[Cross River State|Cross River]]|| 5.4 || 9.1 || 5.5
|-
|[[Delta State|Delta]]|| 4.1 || 10.6 || 5.6
|-
|[[Edo State|Edo]]|| 4.4 || 6.3 || 5.7
|-
|[[Rivers State|Rivers]]|| 3.8 || 9.5 || 4.9
|-
|[[Ekiti State|Ekiti]]|| 4.3 || 7.0 || 5.2
|-
|[[Lagos State|Lagos]]|| 4.1 || 7.2 || 4.3
|-
|[[Ogun State|Ogun]]|| 5.4 || 10.6 || 4.9
|-
|[[Ondo State|Ondo]]|| 5.2 || 9.1 || 5.2
|-
|[[Osun State|Osun]]|| 4.1 || 6.8 || 4.3
|-
|[[Oyo State|Oyo]]|| 4.5 || 11.9 || 5.1
|}

Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dhsprogram.com/Where-We-Work/Country-Main.cfm?ctry_id=30&c=Nigeria |title=Country Main |publisher=The DHS Program |access-date=29 August 2017 |archive-date=27 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827084115/http://dhsprogram.com/Where-We-Work/Country-Main.cfm?ctry_id=30&c=Nigeria |url-status=dead }}</ref>

====Fertility rate by state====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|-
! rowspan=2| Variable
! colspan=7| TFR
|-
! width="50"|2008
! width="50"|2011*
! width="50"|2013
! width="50"|2016*
! width="50"|2018
! width="50"|2021*
! width="50"|2024
|-
| align="left"|'''Nigeria''' || '''5.7''' || '''5.7''' || '''5.5''' || '''5.8''' || '''5.3''' || '''4.6''' || '''4.8'''
|-
| align="left"|Urban || 4.7 || 4.7 || 4.7 || 4.9 || 4.5 || 3.6 || 3.9
|-
| align="left"|Rural || 6.3 || 6.3 || 6.2 || 6.3 || 5.9 || 5.4 || 5.6
|-
| align="left"|Region – North Central || 5.4 || 4.9 || 5.3 || 5.3 || 5.0 || 4.1 || 4.2
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria|Abuja (FCT)]] || 4.0 || 3.8 || 4.5 || 4.6 || 4.3 || 3.2 || 3.2
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Benue State|Benue]] || 5.9 || 4.9 || 5.2 || 4.8 || 4.5 || 4.3 || 3.5
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Kogi State|Kogi]] || 4.2 || 3.9 || 4.2 || 3.7 || 4.8 || 3.3 || 4.9
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Kwara State|Kwara]] || 4.5 || 5.1 || 5.1 || 4.4 || 5.2 || 3.7 || 4.0
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Nasarawa State|Nasarawa]] || 4.7 || 5.5 || 5.4 || 5.7 || 5.3 || 4.5 || 4.3
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Niger State|Niger]] || 7.5 || 6.1 || 6.1 || 6.4 || 5.8 || 4.6 || 4.4
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Plateau State|Plateau]] || 5.3 || 4.5 || 5.4 || 5.6 || 4.7 || 4.4 || 4.4
|-
| align="left"|Region – North East || 7.2 || 6.7 || 6.3 || 6.4 || 6.1 || 5.6 || 6.1
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Adamawa State|Adamawa]] || 6.8 || 5.6 || 5.8 || 5.5 || 6.1 || 4.2 || 5.3
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Bauchi State|Bauchi]] || 8.1 || 8.6 || 8.1 || 6.8 || 7.2 || 6.5 || 6.2
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Borno State|Borno]] || 7.1 || 6.7 || 4.7 || 6.1 || 5.2 || 5.9 || 6.5
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Gombe State|Gombe]] || 7.4 || 5.6 || 7.0 || 7.3 || 6.6 || 5.3 || 5.5
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Taraba State|Taraba]] || 5.9 || 5.3 || 6.0 || 5.5 || 5.4 || 4.9 || 5.2
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Yobe State|Yobe]] || 7.5 || 7.9 || 6.6 || 6.8 || 5.9 || 6.1 || 7.5
|-
| align="left"|Region – North West || 7.3 || 7.2 || 6.7 || 7.3 || 6.6 || 6.3 || 5.9
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Jigawa State|Jigawa]] || 7.1 || 6.7 || 7.6 || 8.5 || 7.1 || 7.6 || 6.9
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Kaduna State|Kaduna]] || 6.3 || 7.9 || 4.1 || 5.6 || 5.9 || 5.7 || 5.6
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Kano State|Kano]] || 8.1 || 7.5 || 6.8 || 7.7 || 6.5 || 6.4 || 5.8
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Katsina State|Katsina]] || 7.2 || 8.2 || 7.4 || 7.5 || 7.3 || 7.4 || 5.7
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Kebbi State|Kebbi]] || 6.0 || 7.0 || 6.7 || 7.7 || 6.5 || 6.6 || 6.6
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Sokoto State|Sokoto]] || 8.7 || 5.2 || 7.0 || 7.3 || 7.0 || 5.2 || 5.4
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Zamfara State|Zamfara]] || 7.5 || 6.5 || 8.4 || 7.3 || 6.4 || 5.3 || 6.3
|-
| align="left"|Region – South East || 4.8 || 5.1 || 4.7 || 4.6 || 4.7 || 3.5 || 4.1
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Abia State|Abia]] || 4.4 || 5.2 || 4.2 || 5.1 || 4.9 || 4.1 || 3.7
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Anambra State|Anambra]] || 5.0 || 5.7 || 4.2 || 4.3 || 4.7 || 3.0 || 3.7
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Ebonyi State|Ebonyi]] || 5.6 || 6.1 || 5.3 || 5.2 || 5.4 || 3.7 || 4.7
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Enugu State|Enugu]] || 4.4 || 4.3 || 4.8 || 3.8 || 4.1 || 3.4 || 3.5
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Imo State|Imo]] || 4.8 || 4.6 || 4.8 || 5.1 || 4.5 || 3.6 || 4.4
|-
| align="left"|Region – South South || 4.7 || 4.9 || 4.3 || 4.3 || 4.0 || 3.5 || 3.3
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Akwa Ibom State|Akwa Ibom]] || 4.0 || 4.0 || 3.9 || 4.5 || 3.6 || 3.6 || 3.3
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Bayelsa State|Bayelsa]] || 5.8 || 6.7 || 4.5 || 4.8 || 4.4 || 4.2 || 3.8
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Cross River State|Cross River]] || 5.4 || 5.8 || 5.4 || 4.4 || 3.7 || 3.1 || 3.0
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Delta State|Delta]] || 4.5 || 5.3 || 4.1 || 5.2 || 4.4 || 4.0 || 3.7
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Edo State|Edo]] || 5.3 || 5.3 || 4.4 || 3.8 || 4.8 || 3.2 || 3.3
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Rivers State|Rivers]] || 4.3 || 4.3 || 3.8 || 3.3 || 3.9 || 3.1 || 2.9
|-
| align="left"|Region – South West || 4.5 || 5.1 || 4.6 || 4.4 || 3.9 || 3.7 || 3.4
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Ekiti State|Ekiti]] || 5.0 || 4.8 || 4.3 || 4.4 || 4.6 || 3.9 || 3.8
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Lagos State|Lagos]] || 4.0 || 4.7 || 4.1 || 4.0 || 3.4 || 3.2 || 3.2
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Ogun State|Ogun]] || 5.4 || 5.6 || 5.4 || 4.5 || 3.8 || 4.8 || 4.1
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Ondo State|Ondo]] || 4.9 || 3.9 || 5.2 || 4.5 || 4.1 || 3.6 || 3.1
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Osun State|Osun]] || 4.0 || 4.9 || 4.1 || 4.7 || 3.8 || 3.5 || 3.3
|-
| style="text-align:left; text-indent:20px;"|[[Oyo State|Oyo]] || 5.0 || 6.4 || 4.5 || 4.9 || 4.5 || 3.7 || 3.3
|-
!
! width="50"|2008
! width="50"|2011*
! width="50"|2013
! width="50"|2016*
! width="50"|2018
! width="50"|2021*
! width="50"|2024
|}
∗ MICS surveys

====Contraceptive prevalence====
{| class="wikitable " style="text-align:right"
|-
! Year !! 1982!!1990!!1994!!1999!!2003!!2007!!2008!!2011!!2012!!2013!!2016!!2017
|-
| align="left"|% of women ages 15–49 || 6.8% ||6.0%||13.4%||15.3%||12.6%||14.7%||14.6%||14.1%||13.5%||15.1%||20.4%||13.4%
|}
∗ [[UNICEF]]s state of the worlds children and child info, United Nations population divisions world contraceptive use, household surveys including demographic and health surveys and multiple indicator cluster surveys.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.CONU.ZS?locations=NG |title=Contraceptive prevalence, any methods (% of women ages 15–49) |publisher=[[World Bank Group]] |access-date=15 July 2018 |archive-date=15 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715094333/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.CONU.ZS?locations=NG |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Life expectancy at birth ===
[[Life expectancy]] from 1950 to 2015 (''UN World Population Prospects''):<ref>{{cite web |url=https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/ |title=World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations |access-date=15 July 2017 |archive-date=19 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919061238/https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Life expectancy development in Nigeria.svg|thumb|300px|Life expectancy in Nigeria since 1950]]
[[File:Life expectancy by WBG -Nigeria -diff.png|thumb|300px|Life expectancy in Nigeria since 1960 by gender]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Period
!Life expectancy in<br />Years
|-
|1950–1955
|33.81
|-
|1955–1960
|{{increase}} 35.80
|-
|1960–1965
|{{increase}} 38.13
|-
|1965–1970
|{{increase}} 39.97
|-
|1970–1975
|{{increase}} 42.03
|-
|1975–1980
|{{increase}} 44.29
|-
|1980–1985
|{{increase}} 46.02
|-
|1985–1990
|{{decrease}} 45.95
|-
|1990–1995
|{{decrease}} 45.87
|-
|1995–2000
|{{increase}} 46.00
|-
|2000–2005
|{{increase}} 46.94
|-
|2005–2010
|{{increase}} 49.75
|-
|2010–2015
|{{increase}} 51.88
|-
|2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nigeria - life expectancy at birth 2022 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/382222/life-expectancy-at-birth-in-nigeria/ |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref>
|{{increase}} 53.63
|}
{{clear}}

== Ethnic groups ==
{{bar box
|title=Ethnic groups of Nigeria (2018 est.)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nigeria |date=8 March 2022 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria/ |work=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |language=en |access-date=14 March 2022 |archive-date=9 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109223449/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria |url-status=live }}</ref>|titlebar=#ddd
|left1=Ethnic groups
|right1=percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Hausa people|Hausa]]|orange|30.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Yoruba people|Yoruba]]|red|15.5}}
{{bar percent|[[Igbo people|Igbo]]|yellow|15.2}}
{{bar percent|[[Fulani people|Fulani]]|blue|6.0}}
{{bar percent|[[Ibibio people|Ibibio]]|grey|3.5}}
{{bar percent|[[Tiv people|Tiv]]|pink|2.4}}
{{bar percent|[[Kanuri people|Kanuri]]|black|2.4}}
{{bar percent|[[Ijaw people|Ijaw]]|green|1.8}}
{{bar percent|Other|purple|19.9}}
}}

==Emigration==
<!--[[Nigerian diaspora]] links here-->
{{further|Emigration from Africa}}
{{further|Nigerian British|Nigerian American|Nigerian Canadians|Nigerian Australian|Nigerians in the Netherlands|Nigerians in Switzerland|Nigerians in Ireland|Nigerians in Vietnam}}

Today millions of [[Nigerians|ethnic Nigerians]] live abroad, the largest communities can be found in the United Kingdom (500,000–3,000,000)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/country-profiles/sub-saharan-africa/nigeria?profile=intRelations&pg=4 |title=Country Profile: Nigeria |website=Foreign and Commonwealth Office |date=25 June 2010 |access-date=29 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629045931/http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/country-profile/sub-saharan-africa/nigeria?profile=intRelations&pg=4 |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the United States (600,000–1,000,000 Nigerians), other countries that followed closely are South Africa, [[Gambia]], and Canada respectively. There are also large groups in Ireland, [[Portugal]] and many other countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.noi-polls.com/root/index.php?pid=322&parentid=14&ptid=1 |title=NOI-Polls: US And UK Top List Of Countries Most Nigerians Abroad Reside In. Key Reason For Migration Is For Economic Opportunities |website=Noi-polls.com |access-date=29 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827051122/http://www.noi-polls.com/root/index.php?pid=322&parentid=14&ptid=1 |archive-date=27 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Inspiration for emigration is based heavily on socio-economical issues such as warfare, insecurity, economical instability and civil unrest.

Between 1400 and 1900, of 1.4&nbsp;million of 2 million emigrants were slaves sent to the Americas with the other 600,000 being sent to other destinations via the trans-Saharan, Red Sea and Indian Ocean routes. This is due to the fact that the land now known as Nigeria was a central point for 4 slave trades during the 19th century. Though bondage represented a great deal, an estimated 30,000 Nigerian inhabitants would relocate to Kano City and Gambia to take advantage of financial opportunities afforded by fertile land and available natural resources. What's more, the presence of gold mines and rail lines along the Gold Coast, present-day Ghana, attracted an estimated 6,500 Nigerian citizens to attain financial gain and opportunity. The population of Nigerians in Ghana rose to roughly 149,000 before the 1969 alien expulsion order would displace nearly the entire population to surrounding countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/nigeria-multiple-forms-mobility-africas-demographic-giant |title=Nigeria: Multiple Forms of Mobility in Africa's Demographic Giant |date=30 June 2010 |website=Migrationpolicy.org |access-date=29 August 2017 |archive-date=27 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827051136/http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/nigeria-multiple-forms-mobility-africas-demographic-giant |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Religion==
{{main article|Religion in Nigeria}}

:50% Muslim, 48.2% Christian, 1.8% other<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/nigerial/|title=2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Nigeria|publisher=Office of International Religious Freedom|access-date=7 February 2024|archive-date=7 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207224243/https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/nigerial/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Nigeria is nearly equally divided between Islam and Christianity. The majority of Nigerian Muslims are [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] and mostly live in the northern, central and south-western states of the country, while Christians dominate in some central states (especially Plateau and Benue states), and the south-east and south-south regions. Other religions practised in Nigeria include [[Traditional African religions|African Traditional Religion]], [[Hinduism in Nigeria|Hinduism]], [[Baháʼí Faith]], Judaism, The [[Grail Movement]], and the Reformed Ògbóni Fraternity, one of the traditional socio-religious institutions of the [[Yorùbá people]] and their Òrìṣà religion known as Ẹ̀sìn Òrìṣà Ìbílẹ̀ in the [[Yorùbá language]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ikenwa |first=Chizoba |date=24 September 2019 |title=All Types of Religions in Nigeria Explained |url=https://nigerianinfopedia.com.ng/types-of-religions-in-nigeria/ |access-date=30 January 2022 |website=Nigerian Infopedia |language=en-US |archive-date=30 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130200917/https://nigerianinfopedia.com.ng/types-of-religions-in-nigeria/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

According to a 2009 Pew survey, 50.4% of Nigeria's population were [[Muslims]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf |title=Mapping out the Global Muslim Population |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091010050756/http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2009 }}</ref> A later Pew study in 2011 calculated that Christians now formed 50.8% of the population.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Religious_Affiliation/Christian/Christianity-fullreport-web.pdf |title=Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Christian Population |website=Pewforum.org |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723134849/http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Religious_Affiliation/Christian/Christianity-fullreport-web.pdf |archive-date=23 July 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/future-of-the-global-muslim-population-regional-sub-saharan-africa |title=Future of the World Muslim Population |website=Pewforum.org |date=27 January 2011 |access-date=16 May 2014 |archive-date=29 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829081436/http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/future-of-the-global-muslim-population-regional-sub-saharan-africa/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Adherents of other religions made up 1% of the population.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6508055.stm |publisher=BBC News |title=Nigeria: Facts and figures |date=17 April 2007 |access-date=4 October 2010 |archive-date=7 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507032249/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6508055.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The shift of population balance between Muslims and Christians is a result of northern and southern Nigeria being in different stages of demographic transition. The Muslim-dominated north is in an earlier stage of the demographic transition with much higher fertility rates than the south, whose split Christian/Muslim population is further along in the transition, and whose fertility rates are declining. Decreasing fertility can be linked to more access to education, use of contraceptives, and differing beliefs regarding family planning.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |last1=Stonawski |first1=Marcin |last2=Potančoková |first2=Michaela |last3=Cantele |first3=Matthew |last4=Skirbekk |first4=Vegard |title=The changing religious composition of Nigeria: causes and implications of demographic divergence |journal=The Journal of Modern African Studies |date=September 2016 |volume=54 |issue=3 |pages=361–387 |doi=10.1017/s0022278x16000409 |url=http://pure.iiasa.ac.at/id/eprint/13485/1/The%20changing%20religious%20composition%20of%20Nigeria.pdf |access-date=19 February 2019 |archive-date=28 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328182225/http://pure.iiasa.ac.at/id/eprint/13485/1/The%20changing%20religious%20composition%20of%20Nigeria.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The 1999 introduction of [[Sharia law]] in twelve northern Nigerian states led to massive violence and unrest and caused an ethnic and religious rift between Sharia and Non-Sharia states, a divide that has deepened with time.<ref name=":0" />

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

== See also ==
* [[2023 census of Nigeria]]
* [[National Bureau of Statistics of Nigeria]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{Commons category}}

* {{Cite web |url=http://www.demographicdividend.org/country_highlights/nigeria/ |title=Nigeria |work=Demographic Dividend Initiative |publisher=Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health at the [[Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health]] |access-date=15 March 2018 |archive-date=6 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180306174956/http://www.demographicdividend.org/country_highlights/nigeria/ |url-status=live }}
* {{cite report |title=Demographic dynamics and development in Nigeria |id={{ProQuest|1706105013}} }}
* {{cite book |last1=Dyson |first1=Tim |title=Population and Development: The Demographic Transition |date=October 2010 |publisher=Zed Books |isbn=978-1-84277-960-6 }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Omoju |first1=Oluwasola E |last2=Abraham |first2=Terfa W |title=Youth bulge and demographic dividend in Nigeria |journal=African Population Studies |date=24 March 2014 |volume=27 |issue=2 |pages=352–360 |doi=10.11564/27-2-480 |doi-access=free }}
* Reed, H. E., & Mberu, B. U. (2014). Capitalizing on Nigeria's demographic dividend: reaping the benefits and diminishing the burdens. Etude de La.
* {{cite journal |last1=Reed |first1=Holly E |last2=Mberu |first2=Blessing U |title=Capitalizing on Nigeria's demographic dividend: reaping the benefits and diminishing the burdens |journal=African Population Studies |date=24 March 2014 |volume=27 |issue=2 |pages=319–330 |doi=10.11564/27-2-477 |pmid=25705077 |pmc=4335263 }}
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria/ |title=Nigeria |work=[[The World Factbook]] |publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]] |access-date=10 April 2018 |archive-date=9 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109223449/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nigeria |url-status=live }}

{{Human rights in Nigeria}}
{{Ethnic groups in Nigeria}}
{{Nigeria topics}}
{{Africa in topic|Demographics of}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demographics Of Nigeria}}
[[Category:Demographics of Nigeria| ]]