Number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria
Nigeria: Number of people who are undernourished was 45.40 million millions in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria, 2001–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millions.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria is 45.40 million millions, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
The figure is up 8.9% on the previous year and up 119.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria peaked at 45.40 million millions in 2023 and was at its lowest, 11.30 million millions, in 2001.
That places Nigeria 2nd out of 131 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | millions | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 11.30 million millions | — |
| 2002 | 11.60 million millions | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 12.10 million millions | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 12.60 million millions | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 13.20 million millions | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 13.80 million millions | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 14.40 million millions | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 15.10 million millions | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 16.00 million millions | +6.0% |
| 2010 | 17.40 million millions | +8.8% |
| 2011 | 19.00 million millions | +9.2% |
| 2012 | 20.60 million millions | +8.4% |
| 2013 | 20.70 million millions | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 20.60 million millions | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 20.30 million millions | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 21.10 million millions | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 23.10 million millions | +9.5% |
| 2018 | 24.90 million millions | +7.8% |
| 2019 | 29.90 million millions | +20.1% |
| 2020 | 33.80 million millions | +13.0% |
| 2021 | 38.60 million millions | +14.2% |
| 2022 | 41.70 million millions | +8.0% |
| 2023 | 45.40 million millions | +8.9% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 45.40 million millions is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.60 million millions, 28.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 45.40 million millions is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.10 million millions, 21.6× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.34 million millions | 11.30 million millions | 16.00 million millions | 9 |
| 2010s | 21.76 million millions | 17.40 million millions | 29.90 million millions | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.88 million millions | 33.80 million millions | 45.40 million millions | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
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 number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria?
- Number of people who are undernourished in Nigeria was 45.40 million millions in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people who are undernourished recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 45.40 million millions in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people who are undernourished recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.30 million millions in 2001.
- How does Nigeria rank for number of people who are undernourished?
- Nigeria ranks 2nd out of 131 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people who are undernourished rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 119.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people who are undernourished. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Undernourishment is measured as having a caloric intake that is insufficient to meet the minimum energy requirements necessary for a given individual.