Number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria

Nigeria: Number of people who are undernourished was 45.40 million in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
45.40 million
Change on year
up 8.9%
World rank
2nd
of 130 countries
All-time high
45.40 million
in 2023
All-time low
11.30 million
in 2001
Years of data
23
2001–2023

Number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria, 2001–2023

10.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M50.0M2001201220232001: 11.3M2002: 11.6M2003: 12.1M2004: 12.6M2005: 13.2M2006: 13.8M2007: 14.4M2008: 15.1M2009: 16.0M2010: 17.4M2011: 19.0M2012: 20.6M2013: 20.7M2014: 20.6M2015: 20.3M2016: 21.1M2017: 23.1M2018: 24.9M2019: 29.9M2020: 33.8M2021: 38.6M2022: 41.7M2023: 45.4M

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home).

Analysis

The most recent figure for number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria is 45.40 million, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.9% on the previous year and up 119.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria peaked at 45.40 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 11.30 million, in 2001.

That places Nigeria 2nd out of 130 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

Number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria, 2001 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2001 11.30 million
2002 11.60 million +2.7%
2003 12.10 million +4.3%
2004 12.60 million +4.1%
2005 13.20 million +4.8%
2006 13.80 million +4.5%
2007 14.40 million +4.3%
2008 15.10 million +4.9%
2009 16.00 million +6.0%
2010 17.40 million +8.8%
2011 19.00 million +9.2%
2012 20.60 million +8.4%
2013 20.70 million +0.5%
2014 20.60 million -0.5%
2015 20.30 million -1.5%
2016 21.10 million +3.9%
2017 23.10 million +9.5%
2018 24.90 million +7.8%
2019 29.90 million +20.1%
2020 33.80 million +13.0%
2021 38.60 million +14.2%
2022 41.70 million +8.0%
2023 45.40 million +8.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 13.34 million 11.30 million 16.00 million 9
2010s 21.76 million 17.40 million 29.90 million 10
2020s 39.88 million 33.80 million 45.40 million 4

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 1 India 172.10 million compare
  2. 3 Pakistan 40.90 million compare
  3. 4 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 40.70 million compare
  4. 5 China 38.50 million compare

See the full ranking of 172 places →

More health data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria?
Number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria was 45.40 million in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home).
What is the highest number of people who are undernourished recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 45.40 million in 2023.
What is the lowest number of people who are undernourished recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 11.30 million in 2001.
How does Nigeria rank for number of people who are undernourished?
Nigeria ranks 2nd out of 130 countries with data for 2023.
Is number of people who are undernourished rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 119.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home), published as part of Number of people who are undernourished. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-people-who-are-undernourished/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of people who are undernourished
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
172 places, 3,649 data points, 2001–2023
Last refreshed

Number of people who are undernourished shows the number of people whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels that are required to maintain a normal active and healthy life.