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Population density: Nigeria vs Singapore compared

Updated on by Georank team

Nigeria has a population density of 690 people per square mile compared to 22,064 people in Singapore. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 1,282 sq ft in Singapore. Nigeria and Singapore rank 41st and 2nd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Nigeria has 2.86% of the world's population and 0.61% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.07% of the population and 0.0005% of the land area for Singapore, making the population density in Nigeria 96.9% lower than in Singapore.

Population density by year

Nigeria
Singapore

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Nigeria Singapore
2026 690 22,064
2025 676 21,926
2024 662 21,776
2023 648 21,346
2022 635 20,334
2021 621 19,672
2020 609 20,510
2019 596 20,632
2018 583 20,454
2017 569 20,415
2016 556 20,483
2015 542 20,219
2014 529 19,981
2013 515 19,779
2012 501 19,489
2011 487 19,071
2010 474 18,730
2009 461 18,454
2008 448 17,906
2007 436 17,100
2006 424 16,426
2005 412 16,035
2004 401 15,663
2003 390 15,513
2002 380 16,023
2001 369 15,996
2000 359 15,570
1999 350 15,303
1998 341 15,181
1997 332 14,674
1996 323 14,190
1995 315 13,625
1994 307 13,217
1993 298.9 12,809
1992 291.1 12,489
1991 283.6 12,119
1990 276.2 11,779
1989 268.8 11,330
1988 261.7 11,002
1987 254.8 10,726
1986 248.1 10,566
1985 241.4 10,576
1984 234.7 10,562
1983 228.7 10,364
1982 222.9 10,230
1981 216.3 9,791
1980 209.8 9,331
1979 203.3 9,214
1978 197.1 9,098
1977 191.2 8,989
1976 185.6 8,865
1975 180.3 8,746
1974 175.4 8,620
1973 170.9 8,477
1972 166.6 8,320
1971 162.7 8,168
1970 158.9 8,019
1969 155.4 7,896
1968 151.9 7,778
1967 148.7 7,645
1966 145.6 7,478
1965 142.4 7,294
1964 139.4 7,119
1963 136.4 6,939
1962 133.6 6,766
1961 130.8 6,581

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/nigeria/singapore | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Nigeria increased by 62.7%, compared to a 34.3% growth in Singapore.

In 2006, Nigeria ranked 53rd by population density and is 41st now. Singapore was 2nd in 2006 and still ranks 2nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Nigeria
Singapore
1x
Year Urban population
Nigeria Singapore
2024 63% 100%
2023 62.2% 100%
2022 61.4% 100%
2021 60.6% 100%
2020 59.8% 100%
2019 59% 100%
2018 58.2% 100%
2017 57.3% 100%
2016 56.5% 100%
2015 55.7% 100%
2014 54.9% 100%
2013 54.1% 100%
2012 53.3% 100%
2011 52.5% 100%
2010 51.7% 100%
2009 50.9% 100%
2008 50.1% 100%
2007 49.2% 100%
2006 48.4% 100%
2005 47.6% 100%
2004 46.7% 100%
2003 45.8% 100%
2002 45% 100%
2001 44.1% 100%
2000 43.3% 100%
1999 42.4% 100%
1998 41.6% 100%
1997 40.8% 100%
1996 40% 100%
1995 39.1% 100%
1994 38.3% 100%
1993 37.5% 100%
1992 36.7% 100%
1991 36% 100%
1990 35.2% 100%
1989 34.4% 100%
1988 33.6% 100%
1987 32.8% 100%
1986 32.1% 100%
1985 31.3% 100%
1984 30.5% 100%
1983 29.7% 100%
1982 28.9% 100%
1981 28.2% 100%
1980 27.4% 100%
1979 26.7% 100%
1978 25.9% 100%
1977 25.2% 100%
1976 24.4% 100%
1975 23.7% 100%
1974 23% 100%
1973 22.3% 100%
1972 21.6% 100%
1971 20.9% 100%
1970 20.2% 100%
1969 19.6% 100%
1968 18.9% 100%
1967 18.3% 100%
1966 17.7% 100%
1965 17.1% 100%
1964 16.5% 100%
1963 15.9% 100%
1962 15.4% 100%
1961 14.8% 100%
1960 14.2% 100%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/nigeria/singapore | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria and from 100% to 100% in Singapore.

Densely populated cities

Nigeria
City Population
Lagos 15.1M
Kano 4.35M
Port Harcourt 3.32M
Ibadan 2.55M
Benin 1.78M
Abuja 1.69M
Onitsha 1.48M
Maiduguri 1.2M
Aba 1.16M
Enugu 1.03M
Singapore
City Population
Singapore 5.87M
Bukit Merah 152K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/nigeria/singapore | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2006–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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