Population ages 65 and above, total in Nigeria
Nigeria: Population ages 65 and above, total was 7.29 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
7.29 million
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
24th
of 218 countries
All-time high
7.29 million
in 2025
All-time low
1.50 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population ages 65 and above, total in Nigeria, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population ages 65 and above, total in Nigeria is 7.29 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 28.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 65 and above, total in Nigeria peaked at 7.29 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.50 million, in 1960.
Nigeria ranks 24th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 65 and above, total in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.50 million | — |
| 1961 | 1.54 million | +2.7% |
| 1962 | 1.58 million | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 1.62 million | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 1.66 million | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 1.69 million | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 1.72 million | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 1.75 million | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 1.77 million | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 1.80 million | +1.6% |
| 1970 | 1.84 million | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 1.87 million | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 1.91 million | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 1.95 million | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 1.99 million | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 2.04 million | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 2.09 million | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 2.15 million | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 2.20 million | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 2.27 million | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 2.33 million | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 2.40 million | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 2.47 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 2.54 million | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 2.60 million | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 2.68 million | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 2.75 million | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 2.82 million | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 2.90 million | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 2.97 million | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 3.05 million | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 3.12 million | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 3.19 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 3.27 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 3.35 million | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 3.43 million | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 3.51 million | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 3.58 million | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 3.66 million | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 3.75 million | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 3.84 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 3.93 million | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 4.04 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 4.14 million | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 4.26 million | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 4.37 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 4.49 million | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 4.61 million | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 4.74 million | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 4.88 million | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 5.02 million | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 5.17 million | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 5.30 million | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 5.43 million | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 5.54 million | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 5.66 million | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 5.80 million | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 5.93 million | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 6.08 million | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 6.23 million | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 6.38 million | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 6.53 million | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 6.71 million | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 6.90 million | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 7.09 million | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 7.29 million | +2.8% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 7.29 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 524,418, 13.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 7.29 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 456,083, 16.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.66 million | 1.50 million | 1.80 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.03 million | 1.84 million | 2.27 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.65 million | 2.33 million | 2.97 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.39 million | 3.05 million | 3.75 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.33 million | 3.84 million | 4.88 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.62 million | 5.02 million | 6.23 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.82 million | 6.38 million | 7.29 million | 6 |
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 population ages 65 and above, total in Nigeria?
- Population ages 65 and above, total in Nigeria was 7.29 million in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population ages 65 and above, total recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 7.29 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population ages 65 and above, total recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.50 million in 1960.
- How does Nigeria rank for population ages 65 and above, total?
- Nigeria ranks 24th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 65 and above, total rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.