Skip to main content
HomeCountriesNigeria › Rural population (% of total population)

Nigeria: Rural population (% of total population)

In , Nigeria's Rural population (% of total population) was 37.02.

That's down 2.1% from 2023, the highest value since .

The global average for this indicator in 2024 was 37.13 . Nigeria ranks #105 globally out of 217 reporting countries. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks #39 of 48.

Source: World Bank Open Data (SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS) • Data as of 2024

Trend (2005–2024)

Nigeria Rural population (% of total population) trend 2020: COVID-19 pandemic
  • 2020 · COVID-19 pandemic

Highlights

Peak
52.43
Trough
37.02
1-year change
-2.1%
5-year change
-9.8%
-2.0% / yr
10-year change
-17.9%
-1.9% / yr

Historical Data — Last 10 Years

Year Rural population (% of total population)
37.0244
37.8253
38.6272
39.4301
40.2340
41.0389
41.8447
42.6514
43.4590
44.2674

About Rural population (% of total population)

Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.

Indicator code: SP.RUR.TOTL.ZSCategory: Health & Population

Frequently asked questions

What was Nigeria's Rural population (% of total population) in 2024?
In 2024, Nigeria's Rural population (% of total population) was 37.02, according to World Bank Open Data.
Is Nigeria's Rural population (% of total population) rising or falling?
Nigeria's Rural population (% of total population) fell 2.1% from 2023 to 2024.
How does Nigeria rank globally on Rural population (% of total population)?
In 2024, Nigeria ranked #105 out of 217 countries reporting Rural population (% of total population).
How does Nigeria's Rural population (% of total population) compare to the world average?
The global average for Rural population (% of total population) in 2024 was 37.13, so Nigeria is below the world average. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks #39 of 48.
What is Rural population (% of total population) and how is it measured?
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.
Download this data: CSV JSON

Source: World Bank Open Data (SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS), CC BY 4.0.