Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Nigeria

Nigeria: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female was 47.0% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
47.0%
World rank
73rd
of 83 countries
All-time high
60.8%
in 2006
All-time low
34.8%
in 1991
Years of data
5
1991–2018

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

02040601991200420181991: 34.8 %2003: 37.1 %2006: 60.8 %2008: 36.8 %2018: 47 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Nigeria stood at 47.0%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 27.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Nigeria peaked at 60.8% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 34.8%, in 1991.

That places Nigeria 73rd out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 34.8% 34.8% 34.8% 1
2000s 44.9% 36.8% 60.8% 3
2010s 47.0% 47.0% 47.0% 1

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 70 Burundi 52.0% compare
  2. 71 Nepal 51.3% compare
  3. 72 Malawi 50.5% compare
  4. 74 Togo 45.3% compare
  5. 75 Mozambique 44.2% compare
  6. 76 Pakistan 35.7% 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, female in Nigeria?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Nigeria was 47.0% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 60.8% in 2006.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 34.8% in 1991.
How does Nigeria rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female?
Nigeria ranks 73rd out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 27.7%. 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-female-percent/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,216 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the female 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 female literates aged 25-64 years by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.