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Population in Nigeria compared to South Africa: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Nigeria was 237,527,782 in 2025 vs 64,747,319 people in South Africa in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Nigeria's population is 245,016,045 people compared to 65,829,368 in South Africa.

Population statistics:

  • Nigeria's population is 3.72 times bigger than South Africa's.
  • Nigeria is ranked the 6th most populous country in the world, while South Africa is the 24th.
  • The countries together account for 3.74% of the world: 2.95% for Nigeria vs 0.79% for South Africa.
  • For the last 10 years, Nigeria has had an average growth rate of +2.25% per year vs +1.4% in South Africa.
  • Since 2006, the population of Nigeria has increased from 149M people to 245M (64.4% growth), while South Africa has grown from 50M to 65.8M (31.7% growth).

Nigeria vs South Africa: population by year and forecast

Nigeria
Factual

Projection
South Africa
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Nigeria South Africa
2100 481,640,156 94,734,082
2099 481,456,918 94,523,360
2098 481,181,892 94,316,049
2097 480,838,161 94,125,043
2096 480,422,467 93,927,246
2095 479,938,579 93,719,451
2094 479,395,022 93,494,697
2093 478,769,369 93,267,274
2092 478,059,864 93,041,793
2091 477,236,907 92,793,249
2090 476,329,495 92,561,159
2089 475,326,347 92,322,396
2088 474,231,442 92,080,212
2087 473,035,563 91,833,409
2086 471,732,001 91,581,639
2085 470,328,175 91,352,906
2084 468,806,172 91,106,961
2083 467,187,453 90,845,161
2082 465,472,417 90,583,188
2081 463,643,190 90,313,417
2080 461,705,493 90,039,857
2079 459,644,523 89,770,116
2078 457,477,264 89,494,440
2077 455,218,871 89,217,520
2076 452,849,991 88,954,522
2075 450,367,356 88,681,719
2074 447,789,885 88,397,221
2073 445,117,028 88,118,589
2072 442,340,440 87,835,051
2071 439,464,323 87,509,098
2070 436,505,329 87,178,463
2069 433,437,998 86,870,660
2068 430,286,232 86,558,000
2067 427,032,499 86,237,764
2066 423,702,640 85,904,801
2065 420,285,359 85,573,984
2064 416,778,394 85,214,686
2063 413,198,800 84,845,370
2062 409,551,159 84,473,236
2061 405,827,482 84,103,016
2060 402,041,765 83,719,266
2059 398,197,311 83,325,330
2058 394,284,767 82,918,226
2057 390,311,065 82,508,742
2056 386,267,580 82,098,320
2055 382,162,992 81,669,191
2054 378,000,511 81,227,019
2053 373,769,779 80,789,939
2052 369,472,476 80,338,877
2051 365,120,741 79,858,310
2050 360,706,317 79,383,784
2049 356,243,287 78,897,472
2048 351,724,743 78,409,829
2047 347,142,279 77,894,547
2046 342,505,549 77,369,819
2045 337,807,869 76,852,544
2044 333,050,132 76,330,046
2043 328,230,652 75,800,788
2042 323,363,366 75,264,885
2041 318,443,989 74,721,871
2040 313,468,061 74,179,185
2039 308,450,008 73,636,894
2038 303,399,842 73,079,976
2037 298,327,800 72,506,991
2036 293,227,654 71,930,701
2035 288,115,630 71,337,219
2034 282,995,818 70,737,692
2033 277,875,880 70,128,299
2032 272,747,599 69,502,726
2031 267,645,657 68,865,544
2030 262,562,767 68,221,143
2029 257,484,616 67,549,189
2028 252,445,821 66,860,631
2027 247,437,680 66,166,759
2026 242,458,365 65,473,024
2025 237,527,782 64,747,319
2024 232,679,478 64,007,187
2023 227,882,945 63,212,384
2022 223,150,896 62,378,410
2021 218,529,286 61,502,603
2020 213,996,181 60,562,381
2019 209,485,641 59,587,885
2018 204,938,755 58,613,001
2017 200,254,579 57,635,162
2016 195,443,700 57,259,551
2015 190,671,878 56,723,537
2014 185,896,915 55,594,838
2013 181,049,443 54,678,791
2012 176,200,625 53,782,567
2011 171,379,598 52,995,205
2010 166,642,886 52,344,051
2009 162,049,464 51,728,516
2008 157,595,014 51,114,599
2007 153,267,261 50,528,584
2006 149,077,334 49,998,277
2005 145,017,253 49,490,033
2004 141,057,045 48,991,421
2003 137,202,644 48,500,348
2002 133,471,989 48,019,415
2001 129,862,595 47,566,800
2000 126,382,494 47,159,719
1999 123,047,320 46,730,335
1998 119,846,254 46,223,880
1997 116,754,792 45,666,838
1996 113,754,779 45,123,018
1995 110,819,428 44,541,554
1994 107,935,714 44,004,139
1993 105,122,069 43,297,156
1992 102,372,770 42,443,509
1991 99,720,162 41,687,898
1990 97,120,925 40,746,268
1989 94,531,014 39,628,575
1988 92,020,090 38,480,649
1987 89,591,716 37,326,190
1986 87,235,953 36,180,515
1985 84,897,973 35,042,093
1984 82,526,443 33,892,788
1983 80,438,260 32,739,304
1982 78,378,701 31,615,339
1981 76,068,103 30,541,044
1980 73,764,641 29,518,857
1979 71,498,242 28,634,162
1978 69,326,532 27,869,507
1977 67,234,590 27,118,952
1976 65,258,009 26,395,450
1975 63,410,815 25,690,940
1974 61,679,144 24,989,108
1973 60,082,139 24,294,263
1972 58,601,748 23,609,456
1971 57,214,684 22,942,143
1970 55,893,838 22,279,984
1969 54,631,914 21,614,676
1968 53,432,783 20,957,287
1967 52,293,065 20,314,066
1966 51,188,234 19,690,087
1965 50,086,764 19,089,380
1964 49,012,016 18,511,361
1963 47,973,575 17,954,564
1962 46,965,292 17,418,522
1961 45,989,310 16,908,035
1960 45,053,782 16,440,172

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/nigeria/south-africa | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Nigeria increased by 46,366,366 people (a 31.1% growth), while South Africa gained 7,261,274 people (a 14.5% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Nigeria gained 49,572,345 people (a 25.4% growth), while South Africa's population increased by 8,569,817 people (a 15% growth).

Nigeria was ranked 7th most populous country in 2006 and is 6th in 2026. South Africa was ranked 24th in 2006 and still ranked 24th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Nigeria's population will grow by 47.2% to 360,706,317 people with a rank change from 6th to 5th. The population of South Africa will increase by 20.6% to 79,383,784 people and rank change from 24th to 23rd.

Nigeria is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 482M people compared to the peak of 94.7M people in 2100 for South Africa.

Population growth rate by year

Nigeria
Factual

Projection
South Africa
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Nigeria South Africa
2100 0.04% 0.22%
2099 0.06% 0.22%
2098 0.07% 0.2%
2097 0.09% 0.21%
2096 0.1% 0.22%
2095 0.11% 0.24%
2094 0.13% 0.24%
2093 0.15% 0.24%
2092 0.17% 0.27%
2091 0.19% 0.25%
2090 0.21% 0.26%
2089 0.23% 0.26%
2088 0.25% 0.27%
2087 0.28% 0.27%
2086 0.3% 0.25%
2085 0.32% 0.27%
2084 0.35% 0.29%
2083 0.37% 0.29%
2082 0.39% 0.3%
2081 0.42% 0.3%
2080 0.45% 0.3%
2079 0.47% 0.31%
2078 0.5% 0.31%
2077 0.52% 0.3%
2076 0.55% 0.31%
2075 0.58% 0.32%
2074 0.6% 0.32%
2073 0.63% 0.32%
2072 0.65% 0.37%
2071 0.68% 0.38%
2070 0.71% 0.35%
2069 0.73% 0.36%
2068 0.76% 0.37%
2067 0.79% 0.39%
2066 0.81% 0.39%
2065 0.84% 0.42%
2064 0.87% 0.44%
2063 0.89% 0.44%
2062 0.92% 0.44%
2061 0.94% 0.46%
2060 0.97% 0.47%
2059 0.99% 0.49%
2058 1.02% 0.5%
2057 1.05% 0.5%
2056 1.07% 0.53%
2055 1.1% 0.54%
2054 1.13% 0.54%
2053 1.16% 0.56%
2052 1.19% 0.6%
2051 1.22% 0.6%
2050 1.25% 0.62%
2049 1.28% 0.62%
2048 1.32% 0.66%
2047 1.35% 0.68%
2046 1.39% 0.67%
2045 1.43% 0.68%
2044 1.47% 0.7%
2043 1.51% 0.71%
2042 1.54% 0.73%
2041 1.59% 0.73%
2040 1.63% 0.74%
2039 1.66% 0.76%
2038 1.7% 0.79%
2037 1.74% 0.8%
2036 1.77% 0.83%
2035 1.81% 0.85%
2034 1.84% 0.87%
2033 1.88% 0.9%
2032 1.91% 0.93%
2031 1.94% 0.94%
2030 1.97% 0.99%
2029 2% 1.03%
2028 2.02% 1.05%
2027 2.05% 1.06%
2026 2.08% 1.12%
2025 2.08% 1.16%
2024 2.1% 1.26%
2023 2.12% 1.34%
2022 2.11% 1.42%
2021 2.12% 1.55%
2020 2.15% 1.64%
2019 2.22% 1.66%
2018 2.34% 1.7%
2017 2.46% 0.66%
2016 2.5% 0.94%
2015 2.57% 2.03%
2014 2.68% 1.68%
2013 2.75% 1.67%
2012 2.81% 1.49%
2011 2.84% 1.24%
2010 2.83% 1.19%
2009 2.83% 1.2%
2008 2.82% 1.16%
2007 2.81% 1.06%
2006 2.8% 1.03%
2005 2.81% 1.02%
2004 2.81% 1.01%
2003 2.8% 1%
2002 2.78% 0.95%
2001 2.75% 0.86%
2000 2.71% 0.92%
1999 2.67% 1.1%
1998 2.65% 1.22%
1997 2.64% 1.21%
1996 2.65% 1.31%
1995 2.67% 1.22%
1994 2.68% 1.63%
1993 2.69% 2.01%
1992 2.66% 1.81%
1991 2.68% 2.31%
1990 2.74% 2.82%
1989 2.73% 2.98%
1988 2.71% 3.09%
1987 2.7% 3.17%
1986 2.75% 3.25%
1985 2.87% 3.39%
1984 2.6% 3.52%
1983 2.63% 3.56%
1982 3.04% 3.52%
1981 3.12% 3.46%
1980 3.17% 3.09%
1979 3.13% 2.74%
1978 3.11% 2.77%
1977 3.03% 2.74%
1976 2.91% 2.74%
1975 2.81% 2.81%
1974 2.66% 2.86%
1973 2.53% 2.9%
1972 2.42% 2.91%
1971 2.36% 2.97%
1970 2.31% 3.08%
1969 2.24% 3.14%
1968 2.18% 3.17%
1967 2.16% 3.17%
1966 2.2% 3.15%
1965 2.19% 3.12%
1964 2.16% 3.1%
1963 2.15% 3.08%
1962 2.12% 3.02%
1961 2.08% 2.85%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/nigeria/south-africa | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Nigeria grew by 2.08%, while South Africa's population grew by 1.16%.

Live population counters

Nigeria South Africa
Current population
245016045
65829368
Population rank 6/197 24/197
Percent of world population 2.95% 0.79%
One net population change
6.52 seconds
42.7 seconds
One birth every
4.17 seconds
26.7 seconds
One death every
11.6 seconds
53.3 seconds
Daily growth/decline +13,283 +2,028
Annual growth/decline +4,848,304 +740,132
Annual growth/decline rate +2.08% +1.16%
Population growth rate rank 45/197 91/197
One migration net change every
34.5 minutes
3.6 minutes
Annual migration change -15,258 +146,370
Net migration rank 145/196 9/196
Foreign-born residents 1,403,281 2,631,100
Foreign-born residents rank 49/195 28/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.6% 4.1%
Foreign-born share rank 173/195 105/195

Natural population change vs migration

Nigeria
Natural

Migration
South Africa
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Nigeria South Africa
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -15,258 - 146,370
2024 4,851,833 -35,202 591,618 166,972
2023 4,834,309 -57,936 602,793 228,222
2022 4,739,502 -51,680 603,636 233,284
2021 4,641,562 -86,115 456,411 458,246
2020 4,525,164 -14,497 595,873 369,901
2019 4,609,941 -99,722 652,130 331,124
2018 4,659,898 -76,565 648,319 318,260
2017 4,706,183 78,685 645,975 343,146
2016 4,761,594 75,265 641,365 -879,235
2015 4,823,045 -116,162 668,771 641,150
2014 4,862,319 -19,376 674,754 272,697
2013 4,811,751 40,201 652,427 232,230
2012 4,774,508 71,138 643,723 264,091
2011 4,728,363 67,808 601,708 65,166
2010 4,629,173 47,966 566,834 68,563
2009 4,528,149 -18,422 554,115 41,528
2008 4,412,976 -13,646 595,332 36,869
2007 4,265,428 -9,162 503,567 36,339
2006 4,135,703 -12,093 487,584 33,159
2005 4,013,788 -17,146 464,464 31,286
2004 3,877,376 46,370 442,540 58,924
2003 3,751,120 33,857 415,018 65,604
2002 3,606,814 69,594 430,926 50,313
2001 3,478,370 64,163 484,801 -60,793
2000 3,343,196 74,535 526,963 -136,794
1999 3,155,425 97,195 594,643 -126,011
1998 3,003,946 145,575 627,027 -82,722
1997 2,936,500 96,885 667,969 -98,181
1996 2,882,205 84,448 710,868 -193,007
1995 2,830,771 73,243 743,488 -98,403
1994 2,735,198 128,134 698,609 -268,849
1993 2,673,675 90,200 789,220 194,977
1992 2,596,173 138,412 794,415 -71,342
1991 2,527,807 42,760 827,296 -39,131
1990 2,491,928 135,959 835,421 259,718
1989 2,452,324 99,588 884,629 255,605
1988 2,376,419 93,510 909,221 246,382
1987 2,322,397 64,418 922,330 231,009
1986 2,295,003 29,682 903,644 234,378
1985 2,289,784 61,514 893,889 244,940
1984 2,278,060 113,758 869,011 290,789
1983 2,292,089 -507,539 837,013 310,172
1982 2,233,401 101,116 807,550 293,195
1981 2,179,884 106,723 767,833 279,985
1980 2,121,618 198,672 738,415 258,127
1979 2,074,807 137,721 716,541 56,323
1978 2,019,621 111,258 694,341 62,121
1977 1,923,917 129,075 680,929 63,739
1976 1,827,289 72,889 675,011 27,333
1975 1,718,623 75,603 667,862 38,809
1974 1,624,813 44,281 658,438 38,518
1973 1,525,485 -618 651,596 41,125
1972 1,448,928 -12,962 638,754 38,163
1971 1,373,896 -35,639 624,761 32,961
1970 1,295,507 7,953 605,102 61,514
1969 1,213,484 6,912 590,794 73,225
1968 1,168,254 9,615 571,841 78,932
1967 1,082,884 18,683 553,741 81,932
1966 1,095,582 12,513 534,862 77,417
1965 1,061,840 32,988 506,632 82,514
1964 1,028,272 26,411 490,606 76,298
1963 995,116 27,115 473,821 72,844
1962 966,452 27,906 455,634 69,771
1961 932,111 25,515 437,851 57,728
1960 901,301 12,131 421,263 18,891

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/nigeria/south-africa | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 99.2% of the population change in Nigeria is from natural causes (a gain of 47,153,031 people) and 0.81% is from migration (a loss of 383,929 people). In South Africa 73.4% is from natural causes (a gain of 6,106,891 people) and 26.6% is from migration (a gain of 2,211,070 people).

As of 2024, 1,403,281 residents or 0.6% of the population were not native-born in Nigeria, compared to 2,631,100 people or 4.1% in South Africa.

Biggest cities by population

Nigeria
City Population
Lagos 15.1M
Kano 4.35M
Port Harcourt 3.32M
Ibadan 2.56M
Benin 1.78M
Abuja 1.69M
Onitsha 1.48M
Aba 1.16M
Enugu 1.03M
Owerri 908K
South Africa
City Population
Johannesburg 4.8M
Cape Town 3.78M
Soweto 1.27M
Pretoria 742K
Pietermaritzburg 619K
Durban 595K
Rustenburg 550K
Randburg 337K
Port Elizabeth 312K
East London 267K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/nigeria/south-africa | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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