Nigeria — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Nigeria, 1961–2025.
GDP growth for Nigeria was 4.01% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 25.01% in 1970. The lowest was -15.74% in 1967 (about -3.9× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 4.87% per year.
Nigeria ranks 78 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 37%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 4.61%, so Nigeria sits below it. It peaked in 1970 and has fallen 84% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 51%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 29 of 47 economies; Zambia (3.76%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 5874% in 1996. That is 169% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1962; grown tenfold by 1962. Doubling roughly every 15 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 95th of 107 in 1961 → 3rd of 119 in 1970 → 64th of 152 in 1980 → 10th of 176 in 1990 → 72nd of 199 in 2000 → 30th of 209 in 2010 → 138th of 209 in 2020 → 71st of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 4.07% | +0.8 pp |
| 2023 | 3.32% | -1.0 pp |
| 2022 | 4.32% | +3.2 pp |
| 2021 | 1.11% | +7.5 pp |
| 2020 | -6.37% | -8.6 pp |
| 2019 | 2.21% | +0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 1.92% | +1.1 pp |
| 2017 | 0.81% | +2.4 pp |
| 2016 | -1.62% | -4.3 pp |
| 2015 | 2.65% | -3.7 pp |
| 2014 | 6.31% | -0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 6.67% | +2.4 pp |
| 2012 | 4.23% | -1.1 pp |
| 2011 | 5.31% | -2.7 pp |
| 2010 | 8.01% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 8.04% | +1.3 pp |
| 2008 | 6.76% | +0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 6.59% | +0.5 pp |
| 2006 | 6.06% | -0.4 pp |
| 2005 | 6.44% | -2.8 pp |
| 2004 | 9.25% | +1.9 pp |
| 2003 | 7.35% | -8.0 pp |
| 2002 | 15.33% | +9.4 pp |
| 2001 | 5.92% | +0.9 pp |
| 2000 | 5.02% | +4.4 pp |
| 1999 | 0.58% | -2.0 pp |
| 1998 | 2.58% | -0.4 pp |
| 1997 | 2.94% | -1.3 pp |
| 1996 | 4.2% | +4.3 pp |
| 1995 | -0.07% | +1.7 pp |
| 1994 | -1.81% | +0.2 pp |
| 1993 | -2.04% | -6.7 pp |
| 1992 | 4.63% | +4.3 pp |
| 1991 | 0.36% | -11.4 pp |
| 1990 | 11.78% | +9.9 pp |
| 1989 | 1.92% | -5.4 pp |
| 1988 | 7.33% | +4.1 pp |
| 1987 | 3.2% | +3.1 pp |
| 1986 | 0.06% | -5.9 pp |
| 1985 | 5.91% | +7.0 pp |
| 1984 | -1.12% | +9.8 pp |
| 1983 | -10.92% | -4.1 pp |
| 1982 | -6.8% | +6.3 pp |
| 1981 | -13.13% | -17.3 pp |
| 1980 | 4.2% | -2.6 pp |
| 1979 | 6.76% | +12.5 pp |
| 1978 | -5.76% | -11.8 pp |
| 1977 | 6.02% | -3.0 pp |
| 1976 | 9.04% | +14.3 pp |
| 1975 | -5.23% | -16.4 pp |
| 1974 | 11.16% | +5.8 pp |
| 1973 | 5.39% | +2.0 pp |
| 1972 | 3.36% | -10.9 pp |
| 1971 | 14.24% | -10.8 pp |
| 1970 | 25.01% | +0.8 pp |
| 1969 | 24.2% | +25.4 pp |
| 1968 | -1.25% | +14.5 pp |
| 1967 | -15.74% | -11.5 pp |
| 1966 | -4.25% | -9.1 pp |
| 1965 | 4.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 4.95% | -3.6 pp |
| 1963 | 8.58% | +4.5 pp |
| 1962 | 4.1% | +3.9 pp |
| 1961 | 0.19% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Nigeria’s GDP growth in 1962?
4.1% (1962). 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 annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Nigeria’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +1992.5% in total — about 4.9% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. 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: 2025: 4.01%; 2024: 4.07%; 2023: 3.32%; 2022: 4.32%; 2021: 1.11%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). 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.