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Population in New Zealand compared to Nigeria: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of New Zealand was 5,287,500 in 2024 vs 232,679,478 people in Nigeria in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current New Zealand's population is 5,374,272 people compared to 243,824,469 in Nigeria.

Population statistics:

  • Nigeria's population is 45.4 times bigger than New Zealand's.
  • New Zealand is ranked the 124th most populous country in the world, while Nigeria is the 6th.
  • The countries together account for 3.01% of the world: 0.06% for New Zealand vs 2.94% for Nigeria.
  • For the last 10 years, New Zealand has had an average growth rate of +1.6% per year vs +2.31% in Nigeria.
  • Since 2006, the population of New Zealand has increased from 4.18M people to 5.37M (28.4% growth), while Nigeria has grown from 149M to 244M (63.6% growth).

New Zealand vs Nigeria: population by year and forecast

New Zealand
Factual

Projection
Nigeria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
New Zealand Nigeria
2100 5,918,837 481,678,166
2099 5,923,132 481,494,914
2098 5,927,206 481,219,866
2097 5,930,263 480,876,108
2096 5,932,907 480,460,381
2095 5,934,847 479,976,454
2094 5,936,183 479,432,855
2093 5,938,804 478,807,152
2092 5,939,085 478,097,591
2091 5,940,665 477,274,569
2090 5,941,752 476,367,086
2089 5,944,871 475,363,859
2088 5,945,635 474,268,867
2087 5,948,586 473,072,894
2086 5,951,745 471,769,229
2085 5,955,275 470,365,292
2084 5,959,115 468,843,169
2083 5,963,613 467,224,322
2082 5,966,943 465,509,151
2081 5,968,511 463,679,779
2080 5,971,082 461,741,930
2079 5,972,331 459,680,797
2078 5,972,928 457,513,367
2077 5,971,804 455,254,796
2076 5,971,386 452,885,729
2075 5,970,985 450,402,898
2074 5,969,834 447,825,224
2073 5,968,506 445,152,156
2072 5,964,548 442,375,349
2071 5,964,493 439,499,004
2070 5,963,811 436,539,777
2069 5,962,551 433,472,204
2068 5,960,918 430,320,190
2067 5,958,438 427,066,199
2066 5,954,539 423,736,078
2065 5,950,378 420,318,527
2064 5,946,851 416,811,285
2063 5,944,910 413,231,409
2062 5,940,838 409,583,480
2061 5,939,601 405,859,509
2060 5,936,094 402,073,494
2059 5,931,426 398,228,736
2058 5,925,816 394,315,883
2057 5,919,823 390,341,867
2056 5,913,287 386,298,064
2055 5,904,352 382,193,151
2054 5,894,795 378,030,342
2053 5,884,875 373,799,276
2052 5,876,162 369,501,634
2051 5,864,176 365,149,555
2050 5,852,896 360,734,783
2049 5,844,165 356,271,401
2048 5,833,178 351,752,501
2047 5,822,035 347,169,674
2046 5,809,860 342,532,578
2045 5,795,785 337,834,528
2044 5,780,884 333,076,416
2043 5,764,579 328,256,555
2042 5,746,528 323,388,886
2041 5,727,253 318,469,120
2040 5,708,874 313,492,800
2039 5,690,018 308,474,350
2038 5,669,959 303,423,786
2037 5,650,253 298,351,344
2036 5,630,126 293,250,795
2035 5,609,155 288,138,368
2034 5,588,315 283,018,151
2033 5,565,507 277,897,810
2032 5,542,488 272,769,123
2031 5,517,391 267,666,779
2030 5,491,320 262,583,487
2029 5,462,926 257,504,936
2028 5,432,752 252,465,743
2027 5,399,898 247,457,208
2026 5,364,771 242,477,499
2025 5,327,462 237,546,527
2024 5,287,500 232,679,478
2023 5,200,000 227,882,945
2022 5,081,700 223,150,896
2021 5,084,600 218,529,286
2020 5,072,400 213,996,181
2019 4,970,300 209,485,641
2018 4,900,600 204,938,755
2017 4,813,600 200,254,579
2016 4,714,100 195,443,700
2015 4,609,400 190,671,878
2014 4,516,500 185,896,915
2013 4,442,100 181,049,443
2012 4,408,100 176,200,625
2011 4,384,000 171,379,598
2010 4,350,700 166,642,886
2009 4,302,600 162,049,464
2008 4,259,800 157,595,014
2007 4,223,800 153,267,261
2006 4,184,600 149,077,334
2005 4,133,900 145,017,253
2004 4,087,500 141,057,045
2003 4,027,200 137,202,644
2002 3,948,500 133,471,989
2001 3,880,500 129,862,595
2000 3,857,700 126,382,494
1999 3,835,100 123,047,320
1998 3,815,000 119,846,254
1997 3,781,300 116,754,792
1996 3,732,000 113,754,779
1995 3,673,400 110,819,428
1994 3,620,000 107,935,714
1993 3,572,200 105,122,069
1992 3,531,700 102,372,770
1991 3,495,100 99,720,162
1990 3,329,800 97,120,925
1989 3,299,200 94,531,014
1988 3,283,400 92,020,090
1987 3,274,400 89,591,716
1986 3,246,300 87,235,953
1985 3,247,100 84,897,973
1984 3,227,100 82,526,443
1983 3,199,300 80,438,260
1982 3,156,100 78,378,701
1981 3,124,900 76,068,103
1980 3,112,900 73,764,641
1979 3,109,000 71,498,242
1978 3,121,200 69,326,532
1977 3,120,200 67,234,590
1976 3,110,500 65,258,009
1975 3,083,100 63,410,815
1974 3,023,700 61,679,144
1973 2,961,300 60,082,139
1972 2,903,900 58,601,748
1971 2,853,000 57,214,684
1970 2,810,700 55,893,838
1969 2,772,800 54,631,914
1968 2,748,100 53,432,783
1967 2,724,100 52,293,065
1966 2,675,900 51,188,234
1965 2,628,400 50,086,764
1964 2,585,400 49,012,016
1963 2,531,800 47,973,575
1962 2,482,000 46,965,292
1961 2,419,700 45,989,310
1960 2,371,800 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/new-zealand/nigeria | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of New Zealand increased by 529,500 people (a 12.7% growth), while Nigeria gained 46,366,366 people (a 31.1% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, New Zealand gained 660,172 people (a 14% growth), while Nigeria's population increased by 48,380,769 people (a 24.8% growth).

New Zealand was ranked 122nd most populous country in 2006 and is 124th 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) New Zealand's population will grow by 8.91% to 5,852,896 people with a rank change from 124th to 122nd. The population of Nigeria will increase by 47.9% to 360,734,783 people and rank change from 6th to 5th.

New Zealand is projected to reach its peak in 2078 at 5.97M people compared to the peak of 482M people in 2100 for Nigeria.

Population growth rate by year

New Zealand
Factual

Projection
Nigeria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
New Zealand Nigeria
2100 -0.07% 0.04%
2099 -0.07% 0.06%
2098 -0.05% 0.07%
2097 -0.04% 0.09%
2096 -0.03% 0.1%
2095 -0.02% 0.11%
2094 -0.04% 0.13%
2093 -0.005% 0.15%
2092 -0.03% 0.17%
2091 -0.02% 0.19%
2090 -0.05% 0.21%
2089 -0.01% 0.23%
2088 -0.05% 0.25%
2087 -0.05% 0.28%
2086 -0.06% 0.3%
2085 -0.06% 0.32%
2084 -0.08% 0.35%
2083 -0.06% 0.37%
2082 -0.03% 0.39%
2081 -0.04% 0.42%
2080 -0.02% 0.45%
2079 -0.01% 0.47%
2078 0.02% 0.5%
2077 0.007% 0.52%
2076 0.007% 0.55%
2075 0.02% 0.58%
2074 0.02% 0.6%
2073 0.07% 0.63%
2072 0.001% 0.65%
2071 0.01% 0.68%
2070 0.02% 0.71%
2069 0.03% 0.73%
2068 0.04% 0.76%
2067 0.07% 0.79%
2066 0.07% 0.81%
2065 0.06% 0.84%
2064 0.03% 0.87%
2063 0.07% 0.89%
2062 0.02% 0.92%
2061 0.06% 0.94%
2060 0.08% 0.97%
2059 0.09% 0.99%
2058 0.1% 1.02%
2057 0.11% 1.05%
2056 0.15% 1.07%
2055 0.16% 1.1%
2054 0.17% 1.13%
2053 0.15% 1.16%
2052 0.2% 1.19%
2051 0.19% 1.22%
2050 0.15% 1.25%
2049 0.19% 1.28%
2048 0.19% 1.32%
2047 0.21% 1.35%
2046 0.24% 1.39%
2045 0.26% 1.43%
2044 0.28% 1.47%
2043 0.31% 1.51%
2042 0.34% 1.54%
2041 0.32% 1.59%
2040 0.33% 1.63%
2039 0.35% 1.66%
2038 0.35% 1.7%
2037 0.36% 1.74%
2036 0.37% 1.77%
2035 0.37% 1.81%
2034 0.41% 1.84%
2033 0.42% 1.88%
2032 0.45% 1.91%
2031 0.47% 1.94%
2030 0.52% 1.97%
2029 0.56% 2%
2028 0.61% 2.02%
2027 0.65% 2.05%
2026 0.7% 2.08%
2025 0.76% 2.09%
2024 1.68% 2.1%
2023 2.33% 2.12%
2022 -0.06% 2.11%
2021 0.24% 2.12%
2020 2.05% 2.15%
2019 1.42% 2.22%
2018 1.81% 2.34%
2017 2.11% 2.46%
2016 2.27% 2.5%
2015 2.06% 2.57%
2014 1.67% 2.68%
2013 0.77% 2.75%
2012 0.55% 2.81%
2011 0.77% 2.84%
2010 1.12% 2.83%
2009 1% 2.83%
2008 0.85% 2.82%
2007 0.94% 2.81%
2006 1.23% 2.8%
2005 1.14% 2.81%
2004 1.5% 2.81%
2003 1.99% 2.8%
2002 1.75% 2.78%
2001 0.59% 2.75%
2000 0.59% 2.71%
1999 0.53% 2.67%
1998 0.89% 2.65%
1997 1.32% 2.64%
1996 1.6% 2.65%
1995 1.48% 2.67%
1994 1.34% 2.68%
1993 1.15% 2.69%
1992 1.05% 2.66%
1991 4.96% 2.68%
1990 0.93% 2.74%
1989 0.48% 2.73%
1988 0.27% 2.71%
1987 0.87% 2.7%
1986 -0.02% 2.75%
1985 0.62% 2.87%
1984 0.87% 2.6%
1983 1.37% 2.63%
1982 1% 3.04%
1981 0.39% 3.12%
1980 0.13% 3.17%
1979 -0.39% 3.13%
1978 0.03% 3.11%
1977 0.31% 3.03%
1976 0.89% 2.91%
1975 1.96% 2.81%
1974 2.11% 2.66%
1973 1.98% 2.53%
1972 1.78% 2.42%
1971 1.5% 2.36%
1970 1.37% 2.31%
1969 0.9% 2.24%
1968 0.88% 2.18%
1967 1.8% 2.16%
1966 1.81% 2.2%
1965 1.66% 2.19%
1964 2.12% 2.16%
1963 2.01% 2.15%
1962 2.57% 2.12%
1961 2.02% 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/new-zealand/nigeria | CC BY

In 2024, the population of New Zealand grew by 1.68%, while Nigeria's population grew by 2.1%.

Live population counters

New Zealand Nigeria
Current population
5374272
243824469
Population rank 124/197 6/197
Percent of world population 0.06% 2.94%
One net population change
6.01 minutes
6.58 seconds
One birth every
9.31 minutes
4.2 seconds
One death every
14 minutes
11.8 seconds
Daily growth/decline +240 +13,141
Annual growth/decline +87,500 +4,796,533
Annual growth/decline rate +1.68% +2.1%
Population growth rate rank 65/197 48/197
One migration net change every
30.3 minutes
34.5 minutes
Annual migration change +17,403 -15,258
Net migration rank 35/196 145/196
Foreign-born residents 1,467,989 1,403,281
Foreign-born residents rank 45/195 49/195
Foreign-born share of population 28.2% 0.6%
Foreign-born share rank 20/195 173/195

Natural population change vs migration

New Zealand
Natural

Migration
Nigeria
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
New Zealand Nigeria
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 17,403 - -15,258
2024 - 18,766 - -35,202
2023 18,876 21,404 4,834,309 -57,936
2022 20,123 21,404 4,739,502 -51,680
2021 23,644 -14,944 4,641,562 -86,115
2020 24,905 42,124 4,525,164 -14,497
2019 25,299 69,770 4,609,941 -99,722
2018 24,797 59,139 4,659,898 -76,565
2017 26,282 68,349 4,706,183 78,685
2016 28,237 75,512 4,761,594 75,265
2015 29,408 70,870 4,823,045 -116,162
2014 26,196 57,974 4,862,319 -19,376
2013 29,096 26,385 4,811,751 40,201
2012 31,077 -1,015 4,774,508 71,138
2011 31,302 -2,196 4,728,363 67,808
2010 35,458 6,722 4,629,173 47,966
2009 33,560 12,700 4,528,149 -18,422
2008 35,143 4,804 4,412,976 -13,646
2007 35,480 3,053 4,265,428 -9,162
2006 30,924 14,542 4,135,703 -12,093
2005 30,674 19,212 4,013,788 -17,146
2004 29,634 24,521 3,877,376 46,370
2003 28,150 42,456 3,751,120 33,857
2002 25,941 48,195 3,606,814 69,594
2001 27,939 17,793 3,478,370 64,163
2000 29,897 -6,604 3,343,196 74,535
1999 28,916 -7,634 3,155,425 97,195
1998 29,146 -1,387 3,003,946 145,575
1997 30,137 12,040 2,936,500 96,885
1996 28,997 25,169 2,882,205 84,448
1995 29,828 26,743 2,830,771 73,243
1994 30,372 20,420 2,735,198 128,134
1993 31,685 12,638 2,673,675 90,200
1992 32,067 6,460 2,596,173 138,412
1991 33,518 31,156 2,527,807 42,760
1990 33,298 70,432 2,491,928 135,959
1989 30,749 -8,818 2,452,324 99,588
1988 29,846 -17,005 2,376,419 93,510
1987 27,603 -7,631 2,322,397 64,418
1986 25,549 -10,234 2,295,003 29,682
1985 24,126 -13,462 2,289,784 61,514
1984 26,043 -901 2,278,060 113,758
1983 24,315 11,464 2,292,089 -507,539
1982 24,207 7,982 2,233,401 101,116
1981 25,374 -7,606 2,179,884 106,723
1980 23,658 -15,423 2,121,618 198,672
1979 26,675 -26,694 2,074,807 137,721
1978 26,156 -28,783 2,019,621 111,258
1977 28,020 -22,697 1,923,917 129,075
1976 29,456 -9,138 1,827,289 72,889
1975 31,355 13,196 1,718,623 75,603
1974 33,896 27,580 1,624,813 44,281
1973 35,239 28,261 1,525,485 -618
1972 38,244 17,779 1,448,928 -12,962
1971 40,000 7,547 1,373,896 -35,639
1970 37,101 4,511 1,295,507 7,953
1969 38,098 -5,212 1,213,484 6,912
1968 37,594 -11,853 1,168,254 9,615
1967 37,974 -2,289 1,082,884 18,683
1966 36,151 9,161 1,095,582 12,513
1965 36,982 9,245 1,061,840 32,988
1964 39,375 9,806 1,028,272 26,411
1963 42,027 10,226 995,116 27,115
1962 42,865 12,697 966,452 27,906
1961 43,482 10,689 932,111 25,515
1960 41,791 3,846 901,301 12,131

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

GeoRank.org/population/new-zealand/nigeria | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 34.4% of the population change in New Zealand is from natural causes (a gain of 247,767 people) and 65.6% is from migration (a gain of 471,602 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, 1,467,989 residents or 28.2% of the population were not native-born in New Zealand, compared to 1,403,281 people or 0.6% in Nigeria.

Biggest cities by population

New Zealand
City Population
Auckland 1.47M
Christchurch 383K
Wellington 216K
Hamilton 176K
Tauranga 151K
Dunedin 106K
Lower Hutt 103K
Palmerston North 81.5K
Napier 66.3K
Hibiscus Coast 59.8K
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/new-zealand/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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