THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: In ancient and pre-colonial times, the area of present-day Nigeria was occupied by a variety of ethnic groups with different languages and traditions. These included large Islamic kingdoms such as Borno, Kano, and the Sokoto Caliphate dominating the north, the Benin and Oyo Empires that controlled much of modern western Nigeria, and more decentralized political entities and city states in the south and southeast. In 1914, the British amalgamated their separately administered northern and southern territories into a Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Nigeria achieved independence from Britain in 1960 and transitioned to a federal republic with three constituent states in 1963 under President Nnamdi AZIKIWE. This structure served to enflame regional and ethnic tension, contributing to a bloody coup led by predominately southeastern military officers in 1966 and a countercoup later that year masterminded by northern officers. In the aftermath of this tension, the governor of Nigeria’s Eastern Region, centered on the southeast, declared the region independent as the Republic of Biafra. The ensuring civil war (1967-1970), resulted in more than a million deaths, many from starvation. While the war forged a stronger Nigerian state and national identity, it contributed to long-lasting mistrust of the southeast’s predominantly Igbo population. Wartime military leader Yakubu GOWON ruled until a bloodless coup by frustrated junior officers in 1975. This generation of officers, including Olusegun OBASANJO, Ibrahim BABANGIDA, and Muhammadu BUHARI, who would all later serve as president, continue to exert significant influence in Nigeria to the present day. Military rule predominated until the first durable transition to civilian government and adoption of a new constitution in 1999. The elections of 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history. National and state elections in 2011 and 2015 were generally regarded as credible. The 2015 election was also heralded for the fact that the then-umbrella opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, defeated the long-ruling (since 1999) People's Democratic Party and assumed the presidency, marking the first peaceful transfer of power from one party to another. Presidential and legislative elections in 2019 and 2023 were deemed broadly free and fair despite voting irregularities, intimidation, and violence. The government of Africa's most populous nation continues to face the daunting task of institutionalizing democracy and reforming a petroleum-based economy whose revenues have been squandered through decades of corruption and mismanagement. In addition, Nigeria faces increasing violence from Islamic terrorism, largely in the northeast, large scale criminal banditry, secessionist violence in the southeast, and competition over land and resources nationwide.

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 923,768 sq km
land: 910,768 sq km
water: 13,000 sq km
Area - comparative: about six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total: 4,477 km
border countries: Benin 809 km; Cameroon 1,975 km; Chad 85 km; Niger 1,608 km
Coastline: 853 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north
Elevation: highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 380 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 76.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 40.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 27.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 19.1% (2023 est.)
other: 4.7% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,188 sq km (2017)
Major lakes (area sq km): fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Chad, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq kmnote - area varies by season and year to year
Major rivers (by length in km): Niger river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, Benin, and Niger) - 4,200 kmnote: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Major aquifers: Lake Chad Basin, Lullemeden-Irhazer Aquifer System
Population distribution: largest population of any African nation; significant population clusters are scattered throughout the country, with the highest density areas being in the south and southwest, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; flooding
Geography - note: the Niger River enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rainforests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea

Population: total: 244,344,065 (2025 est.)
male: 123,511,557
female: 120,832,508
Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s)
adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups: Hausa 30%, Yoruba 15.5%, Igbo (Ibo) 15.2%, Fulani 6%, Tiv 2.4%, Kanuri/Beriberi 2.4%, Ibibio 1.8%, Ijaw/Izon 1.8%, other 24.9% (2018 est.)
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, over 500 additional indigenous languages
Religions: Muslim 53.5%, Roman Catholic 10.6%, other Christian 35.3%, other 0.6% (2018 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.4% (male 48,856,606/female 46,770,810)
15-64 years: 56.2% (male 66,897,900/female 66,187,584)
65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 3,759,943/female 4,274,287)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 78 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 72.2 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 17 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 19.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 19.1 years
female: 19.6 years
Population growth rate: 2.39% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 33.56 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: largest population of any African nation; significant population clusters are scattered throughout the country, with the highest density areas being in the south and southwest, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 54.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 15.946 million Lagos, 4.348 million Kano, 3.875 million Ibadan, 3.840 million ABUJA (capital), 3.480 million Port Harcourt, 1.905 million Benin City (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.4 years (2018 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 993 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 65.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 58.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 60.4 years
female: 64.2 years
Total fertility rate: 4.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 2.23 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 93.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 63.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 79.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 6.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 36.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 20.4% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 4.1% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 4.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.38 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 81.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 41.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 62.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 18.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 58.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 37.1% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 8.9% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 4.49 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 3.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 2.6% (2025 est.)
male: 4.8% (2025 est.)
female: 0.3% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 24.4% (2021 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 67.6% (2018 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 12.3% (2021)
women married by age 18: 30.3% (2021)
men married by age 18: 1.6% (2021)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 3% national budget (2024 est.)
Literacy: total population: 63.2% (2021 est.)
male: 73.7% (2021 est.)
female: 53.3% (2021 est.)

Environmental issues: urban air and water pollution; rapid deforestation; soil degradation; loss of arable land; water, air, and soil pollution from oil spills
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Tropical Timber 2006
Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Land use: agricultural land: 76.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 40.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 27.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 19.1% (2023 est.)
other: 4.7% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 54.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 114.397 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.962 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 72.425 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 39.01 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 56 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 2,794.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 1,991.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 729.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 362.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 27.615 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4.7% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 1.965 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 5.51 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 286.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
conventional short form: Nigeria
etymology: named for the Niger River that flows through the west of the country to the Atlantic Ocean; the name of the river probably comes from the local Tuareg name, egereou n-igereouen (big rivers)
Government type: federal presidential republic
Capital: name: Abuja
geographic coordinates: 9 05 N, 7 32 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the newly built city of Abuja replaced Lagos as the capital city in 1991; Abuja takes its name from a nearby town, now renamed Suleja, that was named after Abu JA ("Abu the Red") in 1828
Administrative divisions: 36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara
Legal system: mixed system of English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law
Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted 5 May 1999, effective 29 May 1999
amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses and approval by the Houses of Assembly of at least two thirds of the states; amendments to constitutional articles on the creation of a new state, fundamental constitutional rights, or constitution-amending procedures requires at least four-fifths majority vote by both houses of the National Assembly and approval by the Houses of Assembly in at least two thirds of the states; passage of amendments limited to the creation of a new state require at least two-thirds majority vote by the proposing National Assembly house and approval by the Houses of Assembly in two thirds of the states
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Nigeria
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU (since 29 May 2023)
head of government: President Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU (since 29 May 2023)
cabinet: Federal Executive Council appointed by the president but constitutionally required to include at least one member from each of the 36 states
election/appointment process: president directly elected by qualified-majority popular vote with at least 25% of the votes cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states; president elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)
most recent election date: 25 February 2023
election results: 2023: Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU elected president; percent of vote - Bola Ahmed Adekunle TINUBU (APC) 36.6%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 29.1%, Peter OBI (LP) 25.4%, Rabiu KWANKWASO (NNPP) 6.4%, other 2.5%2019: Muhammadu BUHARI elected president; percent of vote - Muhammadu BUHARI (APC) 53%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 39%, other 8%
expected date of next election: 27 February 2027
Legislative branch: legislature name: National Assembly
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name: House of Representatives
number of seats: 360 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 2/25/2023
parties elected and seats per party: All Progressives Congress (APC) (180); People's Democratic Party (PDP) (116); Labour Party (LP) (35); New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) (19); Other (10)
percentage of women in chamber: 4.2%
expected date of next election: February 2027
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name: Senate
number of seats: 109 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 2/25/2023
parties elected and seats per party: All Progressives Congress (APC) (59); People's Democratic Party (PDP) (36); Labour Party (LP) (8); Other (6)
percentage of women in chamber: 3.7%
expected date of next election: February 2027
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 15 justices)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, a 23-member independent body of federal and state judicial officials; judge appointments confirmed by the Senate; judges serve until age 70
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; Federal High Court; High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; state court system similar in structure to federal system
Political parties: Accord Party or ACC Africa Democratic Congress or ADC All Progressives Congress or APC All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA Labor Party or LP New Nigeria People’s Party or NNPP Peoples Democratic Party or PDP Young Progressive Party or YPP
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Samson Sunday ITEGBOJE (since 22 October 2024)
chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 800-7201 (ext. 100)
FAX: [1] (202) 362-6541
email address and website: info@nigeriaembassyusa.orghttps://www.nigeriaembassyusa.org/
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard MILLS, Jr. (since 25 July 2024)
embassy: Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja
mailing address: 8320 Abuja Place, Washington DC 20521-8320
telephone: [234] (9) 461-4000
FAX: [234] (9) 461-4036
email address and website: AbujaACS@state.govhttps://ng.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Lagos
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, CD, D-8, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MINURSO, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 1 October 1960 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)
Flag: description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), white, and greenmeaning: green stands for the country's forests and natural resources, and white for peace and unity
National symbol(s): eagle
National color(s): green, white
National anthem(s): title: "Nigeria, We Hail Thee"
lyrics/music: Lillie Jean WILLIAMS/Frances BERDA
history: adopted 2024
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Sukur Cultural Landscape; Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove

Economic overview: largest African market economy; enormous but mostly lower middle income labor force; major oil exporter; key telecommunications and finance industries; susceptible to global energy price shocks; regional leader in critical infrastructure; primarily agrarian employment
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $1.318 trillion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $1.275 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.239 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3.4% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 2.9% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 3.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $5,700 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $5,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $5,600 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $187.76 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 33.2% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 24.7% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 18.8% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 20.4% (2024 est.)
industry: 29.6% (2024 est.)
services: 47% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: cassava, yams, maize, oil palm fruit, rice, taro, bananas, vegetables, sorghum, groundnuts (2023)
Industries: crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; rubber products, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel
Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 113.35 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 3% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 3.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 3.9% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 5.1% (2024 est.)
male: 3.7% (2024 est.)
female: 6.5% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 40.1% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018: 35.1 (2018 est.)
Average household expenditures: on food: 59.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% (2018 est.)
highest 10%: 26.7% (2018 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 11.3% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 5.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 4.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $37.298 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $59.868 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 19.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: $17.215 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $6.423 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $1.019 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $57.536 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $60.261 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $69.091 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: USA 10%, Spain 9%, France 8%, Netherlands 7%, India 6% (2023)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, gold, fertilizers, cocoa beans (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $57.73 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $65.423 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $77.049 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: China 26%, Singapore 14%, Belgium 8%, India 6%, USA 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, tanks and armored vehicles, wheat, plastics, cars (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $38.612 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $32.035 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $35.564 billion (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $45.009 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: nairas (NGN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 1,478.965 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 645.194 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 425.979 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 401.152 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 358.811 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 60.5% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 89%
electrification - rural areas: 27%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 4.094 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 34.135 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 2.4 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 5.974 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 77.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 22.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: production: 1.322 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 1.326 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 17 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 2.144 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 1.514 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 527,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 36.89 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas: production: 38.248 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 19.885 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 16.324 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 5.761 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 7.993 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 112,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 165 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: nearly 70 federal government-controlled national and regional TV stations; all 36 states operate TV stations; several private TV stations; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; network of federal government-controlled national, regional, and state radio stations; roughly 40 state government-owned radio stations; about 20 private radio stations; transmissions of international broadcasters are available; transition to digital completed in three states in 2018 (2019)
Internet country code: .ng
Internet users: percent of population: 39% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 117,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 5N
Airports: 50 (2025)
Heliports: 15 (2025)
Railways: total: 3,798 km (2014)
standard gauge: 293 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 3,505 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Merchant marine: total: 928 (2023)
by type: general cargo 23, oil tanker 128, other 777
Ports: total ports: 28 (2024)
large: 2
medium: 1
small: 1
very small: 24
ports with oil terminals: 23
key ports: Antan Oil Terminal, Bonny, Lagos, Pennington Oil Terminal

Military and security forces: Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN): Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy (includes Coast Guard), Nigerian Air ForceMinistry of Interior: Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC); Ministry of Police Affairs: Nigeria Police Force (NPF) (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 0.6% of GDP (2024)
Military Expenditures 2023: 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 0.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 0.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: information varies; estimated 140,000 active Armed Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military's inventory consists primarily of imported weapons systems from a range of countries, including Brazil, China, France, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Korea, Türkiye, and the US; Nigeria is developing a defense-industry capacity, including small arms, light armored personnel vehicles, and small-scale naval production (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
Military deployments: 180 Sudan/South Sudan (UNISFA); 200 Gambia (ECOWAS); 150 Guinea-Bissau (ECOWAS) (2025)
Military - note: the Nigerian military is responsible for defending against external aggression, maintaining the country's territorial integrity, securing national borders, participating in international peacekeeping and other security missions, suppressing insurrection, and aiding civil authorities in restoring order, as well as other duties such as providing humanitarian assistance; its primary concerns are internal and maritime security; in the northeast part of the country, the military is conducting operations against the Boko Haram (BH) and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in West Africa (ISIS-WA) terrorist groups, where it has deployed as many as 70,000 troops at times and terrorist-related violence has killed an estimated 35-40,000 people, mostly civilians, since 2009; in the northwest, the military faces threats from criminal gangs--locally referred to as bandits--and violence associated with long-standing farmer-herder conflicts, as well as BH and ISIS-WA terrorists; the military also continues to protect the oil industry in the Niger Delta region against militants and criminal activity and since 2021, has deployed troops alongside other security forces to quell renewed agitation in the state of Biafra; maritime security concerns include piracy and the protection of natural resources in the Gulf of Guinea the Nigerian military traces its origins to the Nigeria Regiment of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison Great Britain's West African colonies; the WAFF (the honorary title "Royal" was added later) served in both World Wars; in 1956, the Nigeria Regiment of the Royal WAFF was renamed the Nigerian Military Forces (NMF) and in 1958, the colonial government of Nigeria took over control of the NMF from the British War Office; the Nigerian Armed Forces were established following independence in 1960 (2025)

Space agency/agencies: National Space Research and Development Agency (NARSDA; established 1999); Defense Space Administration (DSA; established 2014) (2025)
Space program overview: has a national space program that focuses on acquiring satellites for agricultural and environmental applications, meteorology, mining and disaster monitoring, security, and socio-economic development; designs, builds (mostly with foreign assistance), and operates satellites; processes overhead imagery data for analysis and sharing; developing additional capabilities in satellite and satellite payload production, including remote sensing technologies; has a sounding rocket program for researching rockets and rocket propulsion, with goal of launching domestically produced satellites into space from a Nigerian spaceport by 2030; works with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Algeria, Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Ghana, India, Japan, Kenya, Mongolia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, the UK, the US, and Vietnam; has a government-owned satellite company and a small commercial aerospace sector (2025)
Key space-program milestones: 2003 - first remote sensing (RS) microsatellite (NigeriaSat-1) built jointly with the UK and launched by Russia2007 - first communications satellite (NigSatCom-1) built and launched by China (failed in orbit, 2008)2011 - first domestically built remote sensing (RS) satellite (NigeriaSat-X) launched by Russia2019 - inaugurated a geospatial data analysis center2022 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration2023 - first military reconnaissance RS satellite (DelSat-1) launched by China

Terrorist group(s): Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – West Africa; Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis-Sudan (Ansaru)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 127,131 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 3,709,022 (2024 est.)
Illicit drugs: USG identification: major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Nigeria