What is the population of Nigeria by states: Latest data as of 2024
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. Its population is known for its ethnic and cultural diversity, with more than 250 distinct ethnic groups and languages. Here is a review of the latest published data on the population of Nigeria by state.
Source: UGC
Nigeria is subdivided into six regions known as geopolitical zones. The zones are further subdivided into states. There are 36 states in Nigeria today.
What is the population of Nigeria by states?
The most recent population data for all 36 states in Nigeria was gathered in 2019. Below is a list displaying the population figures for each Nigerian state.
| Rank as of 2019 | States | Population (2016) | Population (2019) |
| 1 | Kano State | 9,401,288 | 14,253,549 |
| 2 | Lagos State | 9,113,605 | 12,772,884 |
| 3 | Katsina State | 5,801,584 | 9,300,382 |
| 4 | Kaduna State | 6,113,503 | 8,324,285 |
| 5 | Bauchi State | 4,653,066 | 7,540,663 |
| 6 | Oyo State | 5,580,894 | 7,512,855 |
| 7 | Rivers State | 5,198,716 | 7,034,973 |
| 8 | Jigawa State | 4,361,002 | 6,779,080 |
| 9 | Niger Stat | 3,954,772 | 6,220,617 |
| 10 | Ogun State | 3,751,140 | 5,945,275 |
| 11 | Sokoto State | 3,702,676 | 5,863,187 |
| 12 | Benue State | 4,253,641 | 5,787,706 |
| 13 | Borno State | 4,171,104 | 5,751,590 |
| 14 | Anambra State | 4,177,828 | 5,599,910 |
| 15 | Zamfara State | 3,278,873 | 5,317,793 |
| 16 | Delta State | 4,112,445 | 5,307,543 |
| 17 | Imo State | 3,927,563 | 5,167,722 |
The following list shows the population of each state in Nigeria.
| Rank as of 2019 | States | Population (2016) | Population (2019) |
| 18 | Kebbi State | 3,256,541 | 5,001,610 |
| 19 | Ondo State | 3,460,877 | 4,969,707 |
| 20 | Akwa Ibom State | 3,902,051 | 4,780,581 |
| 21 | Adamawa State | 3,178,950 | 4,536,948 |
| 22 | Edo State | 3,233,366 | 4,461,137 |
| 23 | Plateau State | 3,206,531 | 4,400,974 |
| 24 | Enugu State | 3,267,837 | 4,396,098 |
| 25 | Osun State | 3,416,959 | 4,237,396 |
| 26 | Cross River State | 2,892,988 | 4,175,020 |
| 27 | Kogi State | 3,314,043 | 4,153,734 |
| 28 | Abia State | 2,845,380 | 3,841,943 |
| 29 | Gombe State | 2,365,040 | 3,623,462 |
| 30 | Yobe State | 2,321,339 | 3,398,177 |
| 31 | Ekiti State | 2,398,957 | 3,350,401 |
| 32 | Taraba State | 2,294,800 | 3,331,885 |
| 33 | Kwara State | 2,365,353 | 3,259,613 |
| 34 | Ebonyi State | 2,176,947 | 3,007,155 |
| 35 | Nasarawa State | 1,869,377 | 2,632,239 |
| 36 | Bayelsa State | 1,704,515 | 2,394,725 |
| - | Federal Capital Territory | 1,406,239 | 2,702,443 |
What is the total population of Nigeria?
Here is a summary table of the population of Nigeria for several years.
| Year | Population | Global rank |
| 2023 | 223,804,632 | 6 |
| 2022 | 218,541,212 | 6 |
| 2020 | 208,327,405 | 7 |
| 2015 | 183,995,785 | 7 |
| 2010 | 160,952,853 | 7 |
| 2005 | 140,490,722 | 9 |
| 2000 | 122,851,984 | 10 |
| 1995 | 108,187,610 | 10 |
| 1990 | 95,214,257 | 10 |
| 1985 | 83,585,251 | 10 |
| 1980 | 72,951,439 | 11 |
| 1975 | 62,851,312 | 11 |
| 1970 | 55,569,264 | 12 |
| 1965 | 49,925,799 | 14 |
| 1960 | 44,928,342 | 14 |
| 1955 | 40,839,223 | 14 |
Top 20 most populated cities in Nigeria
Nigeria is known for its vibrant and diverse cities, each with a unique culture. Here are the top 20 most populated cities in Nigeria.
| Rank | City | Population |
| 1 | Lagos | 9,000,000 |
| 2 | Kano | 3,626,068 |
| 3 | Ibadan | 3,565,108 |
| 4 | Kaduna | 1,582,102 |
| 5 | Port Harcourt | 1,148,665 |
| 6 | Benin City | 1,125,058 |
| 7 | Maiduguri | 1,112,449 |
| 8 | Zaria | 975,153 |
| 9 | Aba | 897,560 |
| 10 | Jos | 816,824 |
| 11 | Ilorin | 814,192 |
| 12 | Oyo | 736,072 |
| 13 | Enugu | 688,862 |
| 14 | Abeokuta | 593,100 |
| 15 | Abuja | 590,400 |
| 16 | Sokoto | 563,861 |
| 17 | Onitsha | 561,066 |
| 18 | Warri | 536,023 |
| 19 | Ebute Ikorodu | 535,619 |
| 20 | Okene | 479,178 |
What is the current population of Nigeria?
Nigeria currently boasts a population of approximately 224 million, securing its place as the sixth most populous country in the world, including dependencies.
The nation's population density is 246 individuals per square kilometre (636 people per square mile). As of 2024, roughly 53.9% of the population resides in urban areas, totalling 120,696,717 people.
Source: UGC
What is the population of Nigeria in 2024?
As per Worldometer's analysis of the most recent United Nations data, Nigeria's current population surpasses 224 million, accounting for approximately 2.78% of the global population.
The demographic distribution of the population of Nigeria by states reflects the nation's diversity across different regions. These states serve as the foundation for equitable political, economic, and educational resource allocation within the country.
Legit.ng recently explored the main economic problems present in Nigeria. Like other middle-income nations with emerging markets, Nigeria has experienced steady growth in communication, technology, finance, manufacturing, and services sectors.
Nonetheless, the economy still grapples with persistent problems, including inadequate healthcare infrastructure, elevated crime rates, unemployment, and pervasive corruption.
Source: Legit.ng
