Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Nigeria
Nigeria: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 12.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Nigeria, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Nigeria is 12.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.7% on the previous year and up 43.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Nigeria peaked at 12.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 1980.
Nigeria ranks 155th of 199 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.3% | — |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | +5.5% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 1.6% | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 1.7% | +5.9% |
| 1986 | 1.8% | +6.0% |
| 1987 | 1.9% | +6.1% |
| 1988 | 2.0% | +6.2% |
| 1989 | 2.1% | +6.3% |
| 1990 | 2.2% | +6.4% |
| 1991 | 2.4% | +6.6% |
| 1992 | 2.5% | +6.7% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | +6.7% |
| 1994 | 2.9% | +6.8% |
| 1995 | 3.1% | +7.0% |
| 1996 | 3.3% | +7.1% |
| 1997 | 3.5% | +7.2% |
| 1998 | 3.8% | +7.3% |
| 1999 | 4.1% | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 4.4% | +7.2% |
| 2001 | 4.7% | +7.0% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | +6.8% |
| 2003 | 5.3% | +6.5% |
| 2004 | 5.7% | +6.2% |
| 2005 | 6.0% | +5.8% |
| 2006 | 6.3% | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 6.6% | +4.9% |
| 2008 | 6.9% | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 7.2% | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 7.4% | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 7.9% | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 8.1% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 8.4% | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 8.7% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 9.0% | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 9.3% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 9.7% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 10.0% | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 10.4% | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 10.8% | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 11.2% | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 11.6% | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 12.1% | +3.7% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 12.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.6%, 83% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 12.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11.6%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.6% | 1.3% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.1% | 2.2% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.8% | 4.4% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.6% | 7.4% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.2% | 10.4% | 12.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More health data for Nigeria
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8137 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,301 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 257,921 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 14 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0711 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Nigeria?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in Nigeria was 12.1% in 2024, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 12.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 1980.
- How does Nigeria rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- Nigeria ranks 155th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Obesity is defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) ≥ 30. BMI is a person's weight (in kilograms) divided by their height (in meters) squared. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.