Population ages 65 and above in Nigeria
Nigeria: Population ages 65 and above was 3.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population ages 65 and above in Nigeria, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 3.1% for population ages 65 and above in 2025.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 65 and above in Nigeria peaked at 3.4% in 1964 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2017.
That places Nigeria 194th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 65 and above in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.3% | — |
| 1961 | 3.3% | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 3.4% | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 3.4% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 3.4% | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 3.4% | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 3.3% | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 3.3% | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 3.3% | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 3.3% | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 3.3% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 3.3% | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 3.2% | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 3.2% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 3.2% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 3.2% | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 3.2% | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 3.2% | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 3.2% | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 3.2% | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 3.2% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 3.2% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 3.2% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 3.2% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 3.2% | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 3.2% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 3.2% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 3.1% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 3.1% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 3.1% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 3.1% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 3.1% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 3.0% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 3.0% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3.0% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 3.0% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 3.0% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 3.0% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 3.0% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 3.0% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 3.0% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 3.0% | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 3.1% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 191 Benin 3.2% compare
- 192 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3.1% compare
- 193 South Sudan 3.1% compare
- 195 Congo 3.1% compare
- 196 Saudi Arabia 3.1% compare
- 197 Tanzania, United Republic of 3.0% compare
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)
- Population ages 15-19, male, annual growth rate 3.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per capita 0.0576 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, annual growth rate 4.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per capita 0.0471 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 65 and above in Nigeria?
- Population ages 65 and above in Nigeria was 3.1% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population ages 65 and above recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 1964.
- What is the lowest population ages 65 and above recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2017.
- How does Nigeria rank for population ages 65 and above?
- Nigeria ranks 194th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 65 and above rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population ages 65 and above (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population ages 65 and above as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.