Nigeria vs Ethiopia: Population Comparison 2026
Nigeria
EthiopiaNigeria has 103,529,647 more people than Ethiopia (1.7× as many): 242.4 million vs 138.9 million in 2026. Median age is 18.3 in Nigeria and 19.3 in Ethiopia; fertility is 4.21 vs 3.72 children per woman.
Nigeria
2026- Median age
- 18.3
- Fertility (TFR)
- 4.21
- Working age (15–64)
- 56.9%
- Trend
- Growing (+2.06%)
Ethiopia
2026- Median age
- 19.3
- Fertility (TFR)
- 3.72
- Working age (15–64)
- 58.1%
- Trend
- Growing (+2.53%)
Population pyramids, 2026
Total Population
Nigeria
242.4M
Ethiopia
138.9M
Youth (0-14)
Nigeria
40.0%
Ethiopia
38.5%
Elderly (65+)
Nigeria
3.1%
Ethiopia
3.4%
Where the two pyramids differ
The pyramids are overlaid so you can read the difference by age and sex: the longer bar in each band marks the country with more people of that age.
📊 Understanding the Population Difference Chart
This visualization shows where and by how much the populations differ between Nigeria and Ethiopia for each age group, split by gender:
Left Side (Males)
Blue = Nigeria has more males
Green = Ethiopia has more males
Right Side (Females)
Pink = Nigeria has more females
Orange = Ethiopia has more females
💡 How to Read: Each age group shows up to 2 bars - one on the left (male difference) and one on the right (female difference). The bar's color tells you which country has more people, and the bar's length shows by how much. For example, if you see a green bar on the left, it means Ethiopia has more males in that age group.
Notable Differences (>20% variance):
Demographic comparison, 2026
| Indicator | Nigeria | Ethiopia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2026) | 242,431,831 | 138,902,184 | Nigeria has 103.5 million more (1.7×) |
| Change 2025–2026 | +2.1% (Growing) | +2.5% (Growing) | |
| Median age (2026) | 18.3 | 19.3 | Ethiopia older by 1.0 yrs |
| Total fertility rate | 4.21 — 2.10 above replacement | 3.72 — 1.62 above replacement | |
| Fertility rate, 2030 (UN projection) | 3.82 | 3.43 | |
| Birth rate (per 1,000) | 31.8 | 30.3 | |
| Population 2050 (UN projection) | 359.2 million (+48.2%) | 225.0 million (+62.0%) | |
| Peak population | Peaks 2100 | Peaks 2100 |
Differences by age group, 2026
| Age | Nigeria (M / F) | Ethiopia (M / F) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 17540K / 17102K | 10162K / 9716K | Nigeria has 74.3% more people aged 0-4 |
| 5-9 | 16102K / 15639K | 9164K / 8822K | Nigeria has 76.5% more people aged 5-9 |
| 10-14 | 15573K / 15055K | 7942K / 7690K | Nigeria has 95.9% more people aged 10-14 |
| 15-19 | 14062K / 13537K | 7576K / 7373K | Nigeria has 84.6% more people aged 15-19 |
| 20-24 | 12091K / 11644K | 7077K / 6969K | Nigeria has 69.0% more people aged 20-24 |
| 25-29 | 9611K / 9272K | 6014K / 5961K | Nigeria has 57.7% more people aged 25-29 |
| 30-34 | 7896K / 7617K | 5054K / 5020K | Nigeria has 54.0% more people aged 30-34 |
| 35-39 | 6653K / 6460K | 4038K / 4031K | Nigeria has 62.5% more people aged 35-39 |
| 40-44 | 5799K / 5651K | 3046K / 3064K | Nigeria has 87.4% more people aged 40-44 |
| 45-49 | 4920K / 4821K | 2534K / 2597K | Nigeria has 89.8% more people aged 45-49 |
| 50-54 | 3829K / 3808K | 2004K / 2157K | Nigeria has 83.5% more people aged 50-54 |
| 55-59 | 2891K / 2921K | 1634K / 1839K | Nigeria has 67.4% more people aged 55-59 |
| 60-64 | 2175K / 2268K | 1276K / 1467K | Nigeria has 62.0% more people aged 60-64 |
| 65-69 | 1566K / 1686K | 895K / 1055K | Nigeria has 66.8% more people aged 65-69 |
| 70-74 | 1027K / 1136K | 576K / 705K | Nigeria has 68.9% more people aged 70-74 |
| 75-79 | 583K / 658K | 353K / 462K | Nigeria has 52.3% more people aged 75-79 |
| 80-84 | 283K / 318K | 177K / 254K | Nigeria has 39.5% more people aged 80-84 |
| 85-89 | 89K / 107K | 60K / 97K | Nigeria has 25.0% more people aged 85-89 |
| 90-94 | 16K / 22K | 12K / 24K | Nigeria has 5.1% more people aged 90-94 |
| 95-99 | 1K / 3K | 1K / 3K | Ethiopia has 13.6% more people aged 95-99 |
| 100+ | 0K / 0K | 0K / 0K | Ethiopia has 23.1% more people aged 100+ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has more people, Nigeria or Ethiopia?
Nigeria has more: 242.4 million vs 138.9 million in 2026 — 1.7× as many, 103.5 million more people.
Which country is older?
Ethiopia, with a median age of 19.3 vs 18.3 in Nigeria (2026).
Which has higher fertility?
Nigeria, at 4.21 children per woman vs 3.72 in Ethiopia. Replacement is 2.1, so both are compared against it.
How will Nigeria and Ethiopia compare in 2050?
By 2050 the UN projects Nigeria at 359.2 million (+48.2% from 2026) and Ethiopia at 225.0 million (+62.0%).
Are Nigeria and Ethiopia growing or shrinking?
Nigeria is growing (+2.1% in 2026); Ethiopia is growing (+2.5%).
