Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Nigeria

Nigeria: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes was 57.4% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
57.4%
World rank
74th
of 83 countries
All-time high
67.8%
in 2006
All-time low
47.5%
in 2008
Years of data
5
1991–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Nigeria, 1991–2018

02040601991200420181991: 49.6 %2003: 50.7 %2006: 67.8 %2008: 47.5 %2018: 57.4 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Nigeria recorded 57.4% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in 2018.

The figure is up 20.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Nigeria peaked at 67.8% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 47.5%, in 2008.

That places Nigeria 74th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%) in Nigeria, 1991 to 2018.
Year % Change
1991 49.6%
2003 50.7% +2.2%
2006 67.8% +33.9%
2008 47.5% -29.9%
2018 57.4% +20.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 49.6% 49.6% 49.6% 1
2000s 55.4% 47.5% 67.8% 3
2010s 57.4% 57.4% 57.4% 1

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 71 Nepal 60.7% compare
  2. 72 Malawi 59.1% compare
  3. 73 Togo 59.0% compare
  4. 75 Mozambique 57.2% compare
  5. 76 Pakistan 52.3% compare
  6. 77 Senegal 44.0% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Nigeria?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Nigeria was 57.4% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 67.8% in 2006.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 47.5% in 2008.
How does Nigeria rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes?
Nigeria ranks 74th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/nigeria/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-both-sexes-percent/nigeria/">Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes in Nigeria</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,220 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the population between age 25 and age 64 who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, ‘literacy’ also encompasses ‘numeracy’, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of literates aged 25-64 years by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.