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Population in Kenya compared to Nigeria: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Kenya was 56,432,944 in 2024 vs 232,679,478 people in Nigeria in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Kenya's population is 58,955,623 people compared to 243,824,469 in Nigeria.

Population statistics:

  • Nigeria's population is 4.14 times bigger than Kenya's.
  • Kenya is ranked the 25th most populous country in the world, while Nigeria is the 6th.
  • The countries together account for 3.65% of the world: 0.71% for Kenya vs 2.94% for Nigeria.
  • For the last 10 years, Kenya has had an average growth rate of +2.08% per year vs +2.31% in Nigeria.
  • Since 2006, the population of Kenya has increased from 36.9M people to 59M (59.8% growth), while Nigeria has grown from 149M to 244M (63.6% growth).

Kenya vs Nigeria: population by year and forecast

Kenya
Factual

Projection
Nigeria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Kenya Nigeria
2100 105,238,162 481,678,166
2099 105,257,438 481,494,914
2098 105,257,489 481,219,866
2097 105,250,948 480,876,108
2096 105,220,085 480,460,381
2095 105,175,623 479,976,454
2094 105,118,372 479,432,855
2093 105,046,907 478,807,152
2092 104,955,024 478,097,591
2091 104,846,805 477,274,569
2090 104,718,130 476,367,086
2089 104,573,271 475,363,859
2088 104,414,197 474,268,867
2087 104,243,505 473,072,894
2086 104,056,143 471,769,229
2085 103,854,891 470,365,292
2084 103,640,244 468,843,169
2083 103,407,124 467,224,322
2082 103,158,580 465,509,151
2081 102,889,291 463,679,779
2080 102,594,978 461,741,930
2079 102,286,967 459,680,797
2078 101,961,280 457,513,367
2077 101,613,181 455,254,796
2076 101,239,843 452,885,729
2075 100,849,423 450,402,898
2074 100,436,632 447,825,224
2073 100,001,277 445,152,156
2072 99,533,234 442,375,349
2071 99,042,264 439,499,004
2070 98,529,166 436,539,777
2069 97,992,232 433,472,204
2068 97,428,138 430,320,190
2067 96,842,744 427,066,199
2066 96,230,345 423,736,078
2065 95,598,937 420,318,527
2064 94,942,874 416,811,285
2063 94,266,124 413,231,409
2062 93,561,519 409,583,480
2061 92,837,768 405,859,509
2060 92,098,717 402,073,494
2059 91,343,602 398,228,736
2058 90,569,828 394,315,883
2057 89,783,087 390,341,867
2056 88,994,126 386,298,064
2055 88,192,182 382,193,151
2054 87,379,992 378,030,342
2053 86,552,281 373,799,276
2052 85,710,403 369,501,634
2051 84,850,558 365,149,555
2050 83,976,685 360,734,783
2049 83,090,517 356,271,401
2048 82,191,119 351,752,501
2047 81,274,836 347,169,674
2046 80,340,592 342,532,578
2045 79,389,433 337,834,528
2044 78,414,158 333,076,416
2043 77,418,567 328,256,555
2042 76,399,781 323,388,886
2041 75,363,853 318,469,120
2040 74,308,480 313,492,800
2039 73,241,028 308,474,350
2038 72,153,876 303,423,786
2037 71,058,753 298,351,344
2036 69,949,421 293,250,795
2035 68,831,151 288,138,368
2034 67,705,051 283,018,151
2033 66,569,532 277,897,810
2032 65,431,402 272,769,123
2031 64,289,540 267,666,779
2030 63,153,520 262,583,487
2029 62,021,378 257,504,936
2028 60,894,078 252,465,743
2027 59,770,115 247,457,208
2026 58,653,621 242,477,499
2025 57,540,609 237,546,527
2024 56,432,944 232,679,478
2023 55,339,003 227,882,945
2022 54,252,461 223,150,896
2021 53,219,166 218,529,286
2020 52,217,334 213,996,181
2019 51,202,827 209,485,641
2018 50,207,107 204,938,755
2017 49,197,766 200,254,579
2016 48,139,687 195,443,700
2015 47,088,526 190,671,878
2014 46,051,440 185,896,915
2013 44,986,791 181,049,443
2012 43,888,303 176,200,625
2011 42,758,461 171,379,598
2010 41,598,567 166,642,886
2009 40,408,891 162,049,464
2008 39,206,351 157,595,014
2007 38,036,349 153,267,261
2006 36,904,008 149,077,334
2005 35,796,484 145,017,253
2004 34,713,455 141,057,045
2003 33,652,223 137,202,644
2002 32,629,808 133,471,989
2001 31,619,170 129,862,595
2000 30,642,890 126,382,494
1999 29,733,408 123,047,320
1998 28,888,057 119,846,254
1997 28,101,768 116,754,792
1996 27,344,211 113,754,779
1995 26,601,751 110,819,428
1994 25,857,130 107,935,714
1993 25,117,188 105,122,069
1992 24,382,460 102,372,770
1991 23,646,514 99,720,162
1990 22,892,651 97,120,925
1989 22,118,434 94,531,014
1988 21,356,219 92,020,090
1987 20,616,096 89,591,716
1986 19,901,646 87,235,953
1985 19,201,768 84,897,973
1984 18,514,906 82,526,443
1983 17,846,374 80,438,260
1982 17,206,175 78,378,701
1981 16,601,507 76,068,103
1980 16,018,459 73,764,641
1979 15,460,666 71,498,242
1978 14,934,126 69,326,532
1977 14,428,819 67,234,590
1976 13,957,623 65,258,009
1975 13,511,671 63,410,815
1974 13,070,078 61,679,144
1973 12,634,835 60,082,139
1972 12,206,060 58,601,748
1971 11,788,904 57,214,684
1970 11,368,791 55,893,838
1969 10,939,695 54,631,914
1968 10,518,823 53,432,783
1967 10,111,057 52,293,065
1966 9,717,816 51,188,234
1965 9,338,078 50,086,764
1964 8,973,535 49,012,016
1963 8,627,971 47,973,575
1962 8,299,308 46,965,292
1961 7,987,770 45,989,310
1960 7,695,307 45,053,782

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/kenya/nigeria | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Kenya increased by 11,235,679 people (a 30.4% growth), while Nigeria gained 46,366,366 people (a 31.1% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Kenya gained 10,815,936 people (a 22.5% growth), while Nigeria's population increased by 48,380,769 people (a 24.8% growth).

Kenya was ranked 33rd most populous country in 2006 and is 25th in 2026. Nigeria was ranked 7th in 2006 and ranked 6th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Kenya's population will grow by 42.4% to 83,976,685 people with a rank change from 25th to 22nd. The population of Nigeria will increase by 47.9% to 360,734,783 people and rank change from 6th to 5th.

Kenya is projected to reach its peak in 2098 at 105M people compared to the peak of 482M people in 2100 for Nigeria.

Population growth rate by year

Kenya
Factual

Projection
Nigeria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Kenya Nigeria
2100 -0.02% 0.04%
2099 -0% 0.06%
2098 0.006% 0.07%
2097 0.03% 0.09%
2096 0.04% 0.1%
2095 0.05% 0.11%
2094 0.07% 0.13%
2093 0.09% 0.15%
2092 0.1% 0.17%
2091 0.12% 0.19%
2090 0.14% 0.21%
2089 0.15% 0.23%
2088 0.16% 0.25%
2087 0.18% 0.28%
2086 0.19% 0.3%
2085 0.21% 0.32%
2084 0.23% 0.35%
2083 0.24% 0.37%
2082 0.26% 0.39%
2081 0.29% 0.42%
2080 0.3% 0.45%
2079 0.32% 0.47%
2078 0.34% 0.5%
2077 0.37% 0.52%
2076 0.39% 0.55%
2075 0.41% 0.58%
2074 0.44% 0.6%
2073 0.47% 0.63%
2072 0.5% 0.65%
2071 0.52% 0.68%
2070 0.55% 0.71%
2069 0.58% 0.73%
2068 0.6% 0.76%
2067 0.64% 0.79%
2066 0.66% 0.81%
2065 0.69% 0.84%
2064 0.72% 0.87%
2063 0.75% 0.89%
2062 0.78% 0.92%
2061 0.8% 0.94%
2060 0.83% 0.97%
2059 0.85% 0.99%
2058 0.88% 1.02%
2057 0.89% 1.05%
2056 0.91% 1.07%
2055 0.93% 1.1%
2054 0.96% 1.13%
2053 0.98% 1.16%
2052 1.01% 1.19%
2051 1.04% 1.22%
2050 1.07% 1.25%
2049 1.09% 1.28%
2048 1.13% 1.32%
2047 1.16% 1.35%
2046 1.2% 1.39%
2045 1.24% 1.43%
2044 1.29% 1.47%
2043 1.33% 1.51%
2042 1.37% 1.54%
2041 1.42% 1.59%
2040 1.46% 1.63%
2039 1.51% 1.66%
2038 1.54% 1.7%
2037 1.59% 1.74%
2036 1.62% 1.77%
2035 1.66% 1.81%
2034 1.71% 1.84%
2033 1.74% 1.88%
2032 1.78% 1.91%
2031 1.8% 1.94%
2030 1.83% 1.97%
2029 1.85% 2%
2028 1.88% 2.02%
2027 1.9% 2.05%
2026 1.93% 2.08%
2025 1.96% 2.09%
2024 1.98% 2.1%
2023 2% 2.12%
2022 1.94% 2.11%
2021 1.92% 2.12%
2020 1.98% 2.15%
2019 1.98% 2.22%
2018 2.05% 2.34%
2017 2.2% 2.46%
2016 2.23% 2.5%
2015 2.25% 2.57%
2014 2.37% 2.68%
2013 2.5% 2.75%
2012 2.64% 2.81%
2011 2.79% 2.84%
2010 2.94% 2.83%
2009 3.07% 2.83%
2008 3.08% 2.82%
2007 3.07% 2.81%
2006 3.09% 2.8%
2005 3.12% 2.81%
2004 3.15% 2.81%
2003 3.13% 2.8%
2002 3.2% 2.78%
2001 3.19% 2.75%
2000 3.06% 2.71%
1999 2.93% 2.67%
1998 2.8% 2.65%
1997 2.77% 2.64%
1996 2.79% 2.65%
1995 2.88% 2.67%
1994 2.95% 2.68%
1993 3.01% 2.69%
1992 3.11% 2.66%
1991 3.29% 2.68%
1990 3.5% 2.74%
1989 3.57% 2.73%
1988 3.59% 2.71%
1987 3.59% 2.7%
1986 3.64% 2.75%
1985 3.71% 2.87%
1984 3.75% 2.6%
1983 3.72% 2.63%
1982 3.64% 3.04%
1981 3.64% 3.12%
1980 3.61% 3.17%
1979 3.53% 3.13%
1978 3.5% 3.11%
1977 3.38% 3.03%
1976 3.3% 2.91%
1975 3.38% 2.81%
1974 3.44% 2.66%
1973 3.51% 2.53%
1972 3.54% 2.42%
1971 3.7% 2.36%
1970 3.92% 2.31%
1969 4% 2.24%
1968 4.03% 2.18%
1967 4.05% 2.16%
1966 4.07% 2.2%
1965 4.06% 2.19%
1964 4.01% 2.16%
1963 3.96% 2.15%
1962 3.9% 2.12%
1961 3.8% 2.08%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/kenya/nigeria | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Kenya grew by 1.98%, while Nigeria's population grew by 2.1%.

Live population counters

Kenya Nigeria
Current population
58955623
243824469
Population rank 25/197 6/197
Percent of world population 0.71% 2.94%
One net population change
28.8 seconds
6.58 seconds
One birth every
21 seconds
4.2 seconds
One death every
1.32 minutes
11.8 seconds
Daily growth/decline +2,997 +13,141
Annual growth/decline +1,093,941 +4,796,533
Annual growth/decline rate +1.98% +2.1%
Population growth rate rank 53/197 48/197
One migration net change every
19.3 minutes
34.5 minutes
Annual migration change -27,330 -15,258
Net migration rank 160/196 145/196
Foreign-born residents 992,536 1,403,281
Foreign-born residents rank 61/195 49/195
Foreign-born share of population 1.8% 0.6%
Foreign-born share rank 136/195 173/195

Natural population change vs migration

Kenya
Natural

Migration
Nigeria
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Kenya Nigeria
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -27,330 - -15,258
2024 - -19,781 - -35,202
2023 1,100,970 -10,003 4,834,309 -57,936
2022 1,092,102 -10,003 4,739,502 -51,680
2021 1,037,082 -52,552 4,641,562 -86,115
2020 1,036,253 -17,111 4,525,164 -14,497
2019 1,071,777 -61,949 4,609,941 -99,722
2018 1,097,075 -115,436 4,659,898 -76,565
2017 1,105,769 -68,702 4,706,183 78,685
2016 1,108,801 -29,728 4,761,594 75,265
2015 1,119,200 -95,977 4,823,045 -116,162
2014 1,123,333 -72,415 4,862,319 -19,376
2013 1,136,006 -57,634 4,811,751 40,201
2012 1,161,548 -42,928 4,774,508 71,138
2011 1,185,863 -44,795 4,728,363 67,808
2010 1,199,786 -21,069 4,629,173 47,966
2009 1,193,598 7,096 4,528,149 -18,422
2008 1,174,818 29,612 4,412,976 -13,646
2007 1,147,063 -11,495 4,265,428 -9,162
2006 1,113,357 15,767 4,135,703 -12,093
2005 1,080,446 5,501 4,013,788 -17,146
2004 1,048,590 31,525 3,877,376 46,370
2003 1,018,182 24,175 3,751,120 33,857
2002 992,044 10,431 3,606,814 69,594
2001 963,721 55,052 3,478,370 64,163
2000 928,357 5,407 3,343,196 74,535
1999 898,484 -13,257 3,155,425 97,195
1998 875,511 -70,023 3,003,946 145,575
1997 847,493 -80,443 2,936,500 96,885
1996 827,326 -79,276 2,882,205 84,448
1995 812,391 -75,506 2,830,771 73,243
1994 792,702 -40,367 2,735,198 128,134
1993 788,579 -61,054 2,673,675 90,200
1992 785,018 -43,085 2,596,173 138,412
1991 790,030 -60,087 2,527,807 42,760
1990 789,087 -11,338 2,491,928 135,959
1989 795,622 -24,949 2,452,324 99,588
1988 785,652 -31,894 2,376,419 93,510
1987 775,124 -48,633 2,322,397 64,418
1986 755,606 -53,183 2,295,003 29,682
1985 732,739 -35,400 2,289,784 61,514
1984 709,639 -33,253 2,278,060 113,758
1983 684,587 -23,905 2,292,089 -507,539
1982 663,109 -43,382 2,233,401 101,116
1981 642,379 -52,761 2,179,884 106,723
1980 616,390 -39,920 2,121,618 198,672
1979 595,390 -56,280 2,074,807 137,721
1978 574,695 -60,718 2,019,621 111,258
1977 554,124 -57,493 1,923,917 129,075
1976 536,740 -90,990 1,827,289 72,889
1975 517,579 -71,421 1,718,623 75,603
1974 500,008 -62,973 1,624,813 44,281
1973 485,556 -52,102 1,525,485 -618
1972 472,557 -48,466 1,448,928 -12,962
1971 459,897 -49,671 1,373,896 -35,639
1970 443,065 -13,064 1,295,507 7,953
1969 427,819 369 1,213,484 6,912
1968 411,948 1,611 1,168,254 9,615
1967 396,920 5,060 1,082,884 18,683
1966 382,891 1,616 1,095,582 12,513
1965 366,444 8,524 1,061,840 32,988
1964 349,322 4,788 1,028,272 26,411
1963 332,763 4,246 995,116 27,115
1962 315,797 4,521 966,452 27,906
1961 298,463 4,296 932,111 25,515
1960 280,032 2,134 901,301 12,131

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/kenya/nigeria | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 95.3% of the population change in Kenya is from natural causes (a gain of 10,892,362 people) and 4.67% is from migration (a loss of 533,876 people). In Nigeria 99.2% is from natural causes (a gain of 47,163,517 people) and 0.77% is from migration (a loss of 368,103 people).

As of 2024, 992,536 residents or 1.8% of the population were not native-born in Kenya, compared to 1,403,281 people or 0.6% in Nigeria.

Biggest cities by population

Kenya
City Population
Nairobi 5.54M
Mombasa 1.21M
Kisumu 398K
Nakuru 308K
Eldoret 289K
Thika 279K
Malindi 120K
Machakos 114K
Mumias 100K
Meru 42.7K
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

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/kenya/nigeria | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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