Nigeria — Forest area
Forest Area (% of Land Area) for Nigeria, 1990–2024.
Forest area for Nigeria was 18.95% in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1990 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 23.68% in 1990. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.65% per year.
Nigeria ranks 133 of 214 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 62%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 22.46%, so Nigeria sits below it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 20% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved down 7%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 29 of 48 economies; South Africa (18.79%) is just below it. That is 4% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 106th of 178 in 1990 → 128th of 207 in 2000 → 130th of 209 in 2010 → 132nd of 214 in 2020 → 132nd of 209 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2024
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 19.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 19.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 19.37% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 19.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 19.64% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 19.78% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 19.92% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 20.06% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 20.2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 20.34% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 20.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 20.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 20.76% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 20.9% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 21.04% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 21.18% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 21.32% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 21.46% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 21.59% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 21.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 21.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 22.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 22.15% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 22.29% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 22.43% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 22.57% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 22.71% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 22.85% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 22.99% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 23.13% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 23.27% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 23.41% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 23.54% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 23.68% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Nigeria’s Forest area in 1991?
23.54% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of land area, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Nigeria’s Forest area growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2024 the series was shrinking overall: -20.0% in total — about 0.7% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator AG.LND.FRST.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 18.95%; 2023: 19.09%; 2022: 19.23%; 2021: 19.37%; 2020: 19.5%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
AG.LND.FRST.ZS — Forest Area (% of Land Area). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.