Nigeria vs South Africa: Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV

Nigeria
1.80 million
in 2024
South Africa
7.70 million
in 2024
Nigeria rank
3rd
South Africa rank
1st

Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV over time

  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
02.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M199020072024

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 7.70 million against 1.80 million in Nigeria, a difference of 5.90 million.

That makes South Africa's figure about 4.3 times Nigeria's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 35 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Nigeria ahead.

Nigeria ranks 3rd and South Africa ranks 1st of 151 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Nigeria South Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 942,000 1.55 million 604,000 South Africa
2000s 1.58 million 4.31 million 2.73 million South Africa
2010s 1.78 million 6.23 million 4.45 million South Africa
2020s 1.80 million 7.46 million 5.66 million South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher adults (ages 15+) living with hiv, Nigeria or South Africa?
South Africa, at 7.70 million against 1.80 million in Nigeria as of 2024.
What is the difference in adults (ages 15+) living with hiv between Nigeria and South Africa?
5.90 million, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and South Africa?
35 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2024.
How do Nigeria and South Africa rank globally for adults (ages 15+) living with hiv?
Nigeria ranks 3rd and South Africa ranks 1st of 151 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNAIDS estimates, published as Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Nigeria vs South Africa: Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV. Statizoid, drawing on UNAIDS estimates. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/adults-ages-15-living-with-hiv/nigeria/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV
Source
UNAIDS estimates
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
152 places, 5,267 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

Adults living with HIV refers to the number of people ages 15-49 who are infected with HIV.