Total natural resource rents in Nigeria
Nigeria: Total natural resource rents was 8.6% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Total natural resource rents in Nigeria, 1970–2021
Source: The Changing Wealth of Nations, World Bank staff estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total natural resource rents in Nigeria is 8.6%, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 68.5% on the previous year and down 51.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total natural resource rents in Nigeria peaked at 43.1% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 1970.
Nigeria ranks 55th of 211 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total natural resource rents in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.4% | — |
| 1971 | 2.6% | +6.3% |
| 1972 | 3.5% | +36.4% |
| 1973 | 5.1% | +46.3% |
| 1974 | 28.5% | +459.1% |
| 1975 | 20.3% | -29.0% |
| 1976 | 17.7% | -12.7% |
| 1977 | 22.8% | +29.0% |
| 1978 | 19.1% | -16.2% |
| 1979 | 43.1% | +125.6% |
| 1980 | 26.7% | -38.0% |
| 1981 | 4.6% | -82.7% |
| 1982 | 2.6% | -44.1% |
| 1983 | 5.7% | +120.9% |
| 1984 | 9.3% | +63.2% |
| 1985 | 10.5% | +12.1% |
| 1986 | 6.4% | -38.7% |
| 1987 | 11.0% | +71.8% |
| 1988 | 10.4% | -6.0% |
| 1989 | 22.9% | +120.6% |
| 1990 | 25.1% | +9.7% |
| 1991 | 17.7% | -29.4% |
| 1992 | 20.9% | +18.0% |
| 1993 | 34.3% | +64.1% |
| 1994 | 23.9% | -30.4% |
| 1995 | 21.8% | -8.6% |
| 1996 | 21.4% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 18.7% | -12.5% |
| 1998 | 11.4% | -39.4% |
| 1999 | 13.0% | +14.8% |
| 2000 | 24.9% | +91.2% |
| 2001 | 18.1% | -27.4% |
| 2002 | 13.6% | -24.8% |
| 2003 | 15.5% | +14.0% |
| 2004 | 16.8% | +8.1% |
| 2005 | 19.4% | +15.6% |
| 2006 | 16.7% | -13.9% |
| 2007 | 15.9% | -5.0% |
| 2008 | 17.6% | +10.9% |
| 2009 | 10.7% | -39.4% |
| 2010 | 13.8% | +29.6% |
| 2011 | 17.6% | +27.2% |
| 2012 | 15.1% | -13.7% |
| 2013 | 11.6% | -23.3% |
| 2014 | 8.8% | -24.4% |
| 2015 | 4.6% | -48.1% |
| 2016 | 4.7% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 7.8% | +67.6% |
| 2018 | 9.8% | +25.5% |
| 2019 | 8.4% | -14.8% |
| 2020 | 5.1% | -39.2% |
| 2021 | 8.6% | +68.5% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 8.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.4%, 1.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 8.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.7%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total natural resource rents in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +459.1% | 5.1% | 28.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.5% | 2.4% | 43.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.0% | 2.6% | 26.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.8% | 11.4% | 34.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.9% | 10.7% | 24.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.2% | 4.6% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.8% | 5.1% | 8.6% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 52 Tajikistan 9.0% compare
- 53 Sierra Leone 9.0% compare
- 54 Myanmar 8.7% compare
- 56 Brazil 7.9% compare
- 57 Togo 7.9% compare
- 58 Trinidad and Tobago 7.9% compare
More reference data data for Nigeria
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 19.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 81.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 14.27 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total natural resource rents in Nigeria?
- Total natural resource rents in Nigeria was 8.6% in 2021, according to The Changing Wealth of Nations, World Bank staff estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total natural resource rents recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 43.1% in 1979.
- What is the lowest total natural resource rents recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 1970.
- How does Nigeria rank for total natural resource rents?
- Nigeria ranks 55th out of 211 countries with data for 2021.
- Is total natural resource rents rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from The Changing Wealth of Nations, World Bank staff estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total natural resource rents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 52 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Natural resources rents are estimated as the difference between the price of a commodity and the average cost of producing it. Total natural resources rents are the sum of oil rents, natural gas rents, coal rents, mineral rents, and forest rents.