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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Nigeria was 232,679,478 in 2024 vs 71,668,011 people in Thailand in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Nigeria's population is 243,824,469 people compared to 71,571,743 in Thailand.

Population statistics:

  • Nigeria's population is 3.41 times bigger than Thailand's.
  • Nigeria is ranked the 6th most populous country in the world, while Thailand is the 21st.
  • The countries together account for 3.81% of the world: 2.94% for Nigeria vs 0.86% for Thailand.
  • For the last 10 years, Nigeria has had an average growth rate of +2.31% per year vs +0.23% in Thailand.
  • Since 2006, the population of Nigeria has increased from 149M people to 244M (63.6% growth), while Thailand has grown from 66.6M to 71.6M (7.52% growth).

Nigeria vs Thailand: population by year and forecast

Nigeria
Factual

Projection
Thailand
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Nigeria Thailand
2100 481,678,166 45,712,111
2099 481,494,914 46,056,854
2098 481,219,866 46,406,925
2097 480,876,108 46,761,683
2096 480,460,381 47,122,446
2095 479,976,454 47,487,866
2094 479,432,855 47,857,414
2093 478,807,152 48,230,566
2092 478,097,591 48,609,149
2091 477,274,569 48,988,448
2090 476,367,086 49,372,024
2089 475,363,859 49,760,635
2088 474,268,867 50,146,313
2087 473,072,894 50,536,233
2086 471,769,229 50,929,394
2085 470,365,292 51,326,092
2084 468,843,169 51,728,619
2083 467,224,322 52,131,789
2082 465,509,151 52,537,598
2081 463,679,779 52,942,608
2080 461,741,930 53,352,029
2079 459,680,797 53,766,821
2078 457,513,367 54,181,891
2077 455,254,796 54,599,508
2076 452,885,729 55,019,721
2075 450,402,898 55,442,571
2074 447,825,224 55,872,412
2073 445,152,156 56,304,891
2072 442,375,349 56,739,842
2071 439,499,004 57,177,118
2070 436,539,777 57,621,370
2069 433,472,204 58,066,637
2068 430,320,190 58,516,959
2067 427,066,199 58,967,738
2066 423,736,078 59,418,676
2065 420,318,527 59,878,082
2064 416,811,285 60,336,709
2063 413,231,409 60,797,201
2062 409,583,480 61,262,000
2061 405,859,509 61,724,999
2060 402,073,494 62,192,387
2059 398,228,736 62,656,203
2058 394,315,883 63,118,413
2057 390,341,867 63,577,864
2056 386,298,064 64,032,675
2055 382,193,151 64,478,337
2054 378,030,342 64,917,436
2053 373,799,276 65,343,383
2052 369,501,634 65,763,356
2051 365,149,555 66,167,939
2050 360,734,783 66,558,274
2049 356,271,401 66,936,876
2048 351,752,501 67,296,897
2047 347,169,674 67,641,907
2046 342,532,578 67,972,603
2045 337,834,528 68,287,399
2044 333,076,416 68,585,177
2043 328,256,555 68,870,333
2042 323,388,886 69,139,548
2041 318,469,120 69,396,419
2040 313,492,800 69,632,464
2039 308,474,350 69,854,146
2038 303,423,786 70,062,543
2037 298,351,344 70,256,027
2036 293,250,795 70,435,348
2035 288,138,368 70,604,705
2034 283,018,151 70,756,791
2033 277,897,810 70,897,217
2032 272,769,123 71,025,384
2031 267,666,779 71,140,609
2030 262,583,487 71,247,320
2029 257,504,936 71,342,891
2028 252,465,743 71,428,869
2027 247,457,208 71,505,168
2026 242,477,499 71,571,743
2025 237,546,527 71,625,629
2024 232,679,478 71,668,011
2023 227,882,945 71,702,435
2022 223,150,896 71,735,329
2021 218,529,286 71,727,332
2020 213,996,181 71,641,484
2019 209,485,641 71,522,271
2018 204,938,755 71,376,079
2017 200,254,579 71,160,187
2016 195,443,700 70,859,841
2015 190,671,878 70,540,795
2014 185,896,915 70,216,367
2013 181,049,443 69,845,114
2012 176,200,625 69,436,098
2011 171,379,598 69,007,208
2010 166,642,886 68,579,447
2009 162,049,464 68,121,080
2008 157,595,014 67,619,830
2007 153,267,261 67,102,394
2006 149,077,334 66,567,687
2005 145,017,253 66,017,420
2004 141,057,045 65,452,047
2003 137,202,644 64,868,166
2002 133,471,989 64,266,437
2001 129,862,595 63,651,141
2000 126,382,494 63,007,815
1999 123,047,320 62,299,043
1998 119,846,254 61,522,630
1997 116,754,792 60,724,584
1996 113,754,779 59,920,064
1995 110,819,428 59,098,232
1994 107,935,714 58,260,854
1993 105,122,069 57,408,198
1992 102,372,770 56,528,834
1991 99,720,162 55,637,434
1990 97,120,925 54,738,329
1989 94,531,014 53,848,956
1988 92,020,090 52,969,595
1987 89,591,716 52,074,105
1986 87,235,953 51,177,834
1985 84,897,973 50,270,753
1984 82,526,443 49,351,708
1983 80,438,260 48,423,309
1982 78,378,701 47,494,577
1981 76,068,103 46,575,855
1980 73,764,641 45,650,022
1979 71,498,242 44,718,434
1978 69,326,532 43,788,976
1977 67,234,590 42,843,974
1976 65,258,009 41,896,504
1975 63,410,815 40,940,005
1974 61,679,144 39,952,891
1973 60,082,139 38,947,787
1972 58,601,748 37,933,929
1971 57,214,684 36,937,387
1970 55,893,838 35,954,408
1969 54,631,914 34,973,782
1968 53,432,783 34,002,560
1967 52,293,065 33,037,801
1966 51,188,234 32,086,071
1965 50,086,764 31,149,337
1964 49,012,016 30,232,141
1963 47,973,575 29,342,322
1962 46,965,292 28,481,040
1961 45,989,310 27,650,334
1960 45,053,782 26,851,747

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/nigeria/thailand | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Nigeria increased by 46,366,366 people (a 31.1% growth), while Thailand gained 4,292,154 people (a 6.45% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Nigeria gained 48,380,769 people (a 24.8% growth), while Thailand's population increased by 711,902 people (a 1% growth).

Nigeria was ranked 7th most populous country in 2006 and is 6th in 2026. Thailand was ranked 19th in 2006 and ranked 21st now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Nigeria's population will grow by 47.9% to 360,734,783 people with a rank change from 6th to 5th. The population of Thailand will decrease by 7% to 66,558,274 people and rank change from 21st to 31st.

Nigeria is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 482M people, while Thailand's population already peaked in 2022 at 71.7M people and is projected to decrease to 45.7M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

Nigeria
Factual

Projection
Thailand
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Nigeria Thailand
2100 0.04% -0.75%
2099 0.06% -0.75%
2098 0.07% -0.76%
2097 0.09% -0.77%
2096 0.1% -0.77%
2095 0.11% -0.77%
2094 0.13% -0.77%
2093 0.15% -0.78%
2092 0.17% -0.77%
2091 0.19% -0.78%
2090 0.21% -0.78%
2089 0.23% -0.77%
2088 0.25% -0.77%
2087 0.28% -0.77%
2086 0.3% -0.77%
2085 0.32% -0.78%
2084 0.35% -0.77%
2083 0.37% -0.77%
2082 0.39% -0.76%
2081 0.42% -0.77%
2080 0.45% -0.77%
2079 0.47% -0.77%
2078 0.5% -0.76%
2077 0.52% -0.76%
2076 0.55% -0.76%
2075 0.58% -0.77%
2074 0.6% -0.77%
2073 0.63% -0.77%
2072 0.65% -0.76%
2071 0.68% -0.77%
2070 0.71% -0.77%
2069 0.73% -0.77%
2068 0.76% -0.76%
2067 0.79% -0.76%
2066 0.81% -0.77%
2065 0.84% -0.76%
2064 0.87% -0.76%
2063 0.89% -0.76%
2062 0.92% -0.75%
2061 0.94% -0.75%
2060 0.97% -0.74%
2059 0.99% -0.73%
2058 1.02% -0.72%
2057 1.05% -0.71%
2056 1.07% -0.69%
2055 1.1% -0.68%
2054 1.13% -0.65%
2053 1.16% -0.64%
2052 1.19% -0.61%
2051 1.22% -0.59%
2050 1.25% -0.57%
2049 1.28% -0.53%
2048 1.32% -0.51%
2047 1.35% -0.49%
2046 1.39% -0.46%
2045 1.43% -0.43%
2044 1.47% -0.41%
2043 1.51% -0.39%
2042 1.54% -0.37%
2041 1.59% -0.34%
2040 1.63% -0.32%
2039 1.66% -0.3%
2038 1.7% -0.28%
2037 1.74% -0.25%
2036 1.77% -0.24%
2035 1.81% -0.21%
2034 1.84% -0.2%
2033 1.88% -0.18%
2032 1.91% -0.16%
2031 1.94% -0.15%
2030 1.97% -0.13%
2029 2% -0.12%
2028 2.02% -0.11%
2027 2.05% -0.09%
2026 2.08% -0.08%
2025 2.09% -0.06%
2024 2.1% -0.05%
2023 2.12% -0.05%
2022 2.11% 0.01%
2021 2.12% 0.12%
2020 2.15% 0.17%
2019 2.22% 0.2%
2018 2.34% 0.3%
2017 2.46% 0.42%
2016 2.5% 0.45%
2015 2.57% 0.46%
2014 2.68% 0.53%
2013 2.75% 0.59%
2012 2.81% 0.62%
2011 2.84% 0.62%
2010 2.83% 0.67%
2009 2.83% 0.74%
2008 2.82% 0.77%
2007 2.81% 0.8%
2006 2.8% 0.83%
2005 2.81% 0.86%
2004 2.81% 0.9%
2003 2.8% 0.94%
2002 2.78% 0.97%
2001 2.75% 1.02%
2000 2.71% 1.14%
1999 2.67% 1.26%
1998 2.65% 1.31%
1997 2.64% 1.34%
1996 2.65% 1.39%
1995 2.67% 1.44%
1994 2.68% 1.49%
1993 2.69% 1.56%
1992 2.66% 1.6%
1991 2.68% 1.64%
1990 2.74% 1.65%
1989 2.73% 1.66%
1988 2.71% 1.72%
1987 2.7% 1.75%
1986 2.75% 1.8%
1985 2.87% 1.86%
1984 2.6% 1.92%
1983 2.63% 1.96%
1982 3.04% 1.97%
1981 3.12% 2.03%
1980 3.17% 2.08%
1979 3.13% 2.12%
1978 3.11% 2.21%
1977 3.03% 2.26%
1976 2.91% 2.34%
1975 2.81% 2.47%
1974 2.66% 2.58%
1973 2.53% 2.67%
1972 2.42% 2.7%
1971 2.36% 2.73%
1970 2.31% 2.8%
1969 2.24% 2.86%
1968 2.18% 2.92%
1967 2.16% 2.97%
1966 2.2% 3.01%
1965 2.19% 3.03%
1964 2.16% 3.03%
1963 2.15% 3.02%
1962 2.12% 3%
1961 2.08% 2.97%

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/nigeria/thailand | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Nigeria grew by 2.1%, while Thailand's population declined by 0.05%.

Live population counters

Nigeria Thailand
Current population
243824469
71571743
Population rank 6/197 21/197
Percent of world population 2.94% 0.86%
One net population change
6.58 seconds
15.3 minutes
One birth every
4.2 seconds
53.3 seconds
One death every
11.8 seconds
49.5 seconds
Daily growth/decline +13,141 -94
Annual growth/decline +4,796,533 -34,424
Annual growth/decline rate +2.1% -0.05%
Population growth rate rank 48/197 168/197
One migration net change every
34.5 minutes
19.2 minutes
Annual migration change -15,258 +27,509
Net migration rank 145/196 30/196
Foreign-born residents 1,403,281 3,179,399
Foreign-born residents rank 49/195 21/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.6% 4.4%
Foreign-born share rank 173/195 100/195

Natural population change vs migration

Nigeria
Natural

Migration
Thailand
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Nigeria Thailand
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -15,258 - 27,509
2024 - -35,202 - 23,321
2023 4,834,309 -57,936 -46,105 19,648
2022 4,739,502 -51,680 -61,046 21,683
2021 4,641,562 -86,115 57,382 -2,093
2020 4,525,164 -14,497 84,107 32,277
2019 4,609,941 -99,722 116,867 5,221
2018 4,659,898 -76,565 159,383 10,984
2017 4,706,183 78,685 194,695 66,805
2016 4,761,594 75,265 226,255 112,978
2015 4,823,045 -116,162 266,362 32,500
2014 4,862,319 -19,376 294,628 55,358
2013 4,811,751 40,201 325,059 67,452
2012 4,774,508 71,138 351,485 74,033
2011 4,728,363 67,808 365,670 66,607
2010 4,629,173 47,966 370,466 52,791
2009 4,528,149 -18,422 382,636 110,883
2008 4,412,976 -13,646 401,730 107,333
2007 4,265,428 -9,162 425,362 100,486
2006 4,135,703 -12,093 441,211 102,362
2005 4,013,788 -17,146 456,378 100,542
2004 3,877,376 46,370 466,542 107,199
2003 3,751,120 33,857 488,003 105,917
2002 3,606,814 69,594 504,299 105,215
2001 3,478,370 64,163 524,230 96,817
2000 3,343,196 74,535 543,884 121,640
1999 3,155,425 97,195 578,073 173,924
1998 3,003,946 145,575 617,318 183,471
1997 2,936,500 96,885 644,834 150,411
1996 2,882,205 84,448 661,397 152,397
1995 2,830,771 73,243 682,703 147,226
1994 2,735,198 128,134 712,589 132,271
1993 2,673,675 90,200 737,696 122,746
1992 2,596,173 138,412 754,999 143,318
1991 2,527,807 42,760 760,508 124,034
1990 2,491,928 135,959 760,808 152,916
1989 2,452,324 99,588 774,563 90,497
1988 2,376,419 93,510 765,252 128,469
1987 2,322,397 64,418 774,498 122,791
1986 2,295,003 29,682 783,430 111,820
1985 2,289,784 61,514 776,935 141,963
1984 2,278,060 113,758 779,856 139,345
1983 2,292,089 -507,539 794,239 143,393
1982 2,233,401 101,116 817,951 101,885
1981 2,179,884 106,723 839,297 78,337
1980 2,121,618 198,672 845,575 88,478
1979 2,074,807 137,721 843,434 85,693
1978 2,019,621 111,258 847,799 82,011
1977 1,923,917 129,075 871,232 88,937
1976 1,827,289 72,889 894,072 40,656
1975 1,718,623 75,603 911,980 66,306
1974 1,624,813 44,281 923,151 72,801
1973 1,525,485 -618 933,540 80,704
1972 1,448,928 -12,962 940,420 73,082
1971 1,373,896 -35,639 936,215 43,400
1970 1,295,507 7,953 937,116 49,221
1969 1,213,484 6,912 948,314 26,551
1968 1,168,254 9,615 953,806 13,718
1967 1,082,884 18,683 944,980 17,005
1966 1,095,582 12,513 929,469 12,016
1965 1,061,840 32,988 909,000 22,995
1964 1,028,272 26,411 885,137 17,249
1963 995,116 27,115 860,728 16,494
1962 966,452 27,906 828,741 16,605
1961 932,111 25,515 801,140 14,968
1960 901,301 12,131 774,190 6,886

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

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

Over the last 10 years, 99.2% of the population change in Nigeria is from natural causes (a gain of 47,163,517 people) and 0.77% is from migration (a loss of 368,103 people). In Thailand 78.4% is from natural causes (a gain of 1,292,528 people) and 21.6% is from migration (a gain of 355,361 people).

As of 2024, 1,403,281 residents or 0.6% of the population were not native-born in Nigeria, compared to 3,179,399 people or 4.4% in Thailand.

Biggest cities by population

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
Thailand
City Population
Bangkok 5.68M
Chiang Mai 1.2M
Nonthaburi 256K
Pak Kret 190K
Hat Yai 159K
Nakhon Ratchasima 134K
Chaophraya Surasak 133K
Surat Thani 131K
Udon Thani 130K
Klaeng 130K

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/nigeria/thailand | 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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