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

Nigeria: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male was 67.8% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
67.8%
World rank
76th
of 83 countries
All-time high
74.8%
in 2006
All-time low
59.0%
in 2008
Years of data
5
1991–2018

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

0204060801991200420181991: 64.2 %2003: 65.2 %2006: 74.8 %2008: 59 %2018: 67.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Nigeria recorded 67.8% for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in 2018.

That represents a change of up 14.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Nigeria peaked at 74.8% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 59.0%, in 2008.

Nigeria ranks 76th of 83 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 64.2% 64.2% 64.2% 1
2000s 66.3% 59.0% 74.8% 3
2010s 67.8% 67.8% 67.8% 1

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 73 Burundi 70.7% compare
  2. 74 Malawi 68.8% compare
  3. 75 Pakistan 68.4% compare
  4. 77 Senegal 60.3% compare
  5. 78 Central African Republic 50.4% compare
  6. 79 Côte d'Ivoire 49.7% 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, male in Nigeria?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Nigeria was 67.8% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 74.8% in 2006.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 59.0% in 2008.
How does Nigeria rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male?
Nigeria ranks 76th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-population-25-64-years-male-percent/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,219 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

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