Nigeria vs Zambia
Nigeria vs Zambia: Median age
Median age in 2023: 17.8 years in Nigeria and 17.5 years in Zambia, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Nigeria, by 0.3 years, or 1.01 times that in Zambia.
years · UN
What the numbers say
- Nigeria has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Nigeria at 34.3 years and Zambia at 34.4 years in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 30.4 years in 2023.
Every year
years · UN
| Year | Nigeria | Zambia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 17.8 | 17.5 | 30.4 |
| 2022 | 17.6 | 17.3 | 30.1 |
| 2021 | 17.4 | 17.1 | 29.8 |
| 2020 | 17.2 | 16.9 | 29.6 |
| 2019 | 17.1 | 16.8 | 29.3 |
| 2018 | 16.9 | 16.6 | 29 |
| 2017 | 16.8 | 16.4 | 28.8 |
| 2016 | 16.7 | 16.3 | 28.5 |
| 2015 | 16.7 | 16.1 | 28.3 |
| 2014 | 16.6 | 16 | 28.1 |
| 2013 | 16.6 | 15.9 | 27.8 |
| 2012 | 16.6 | 15.8 | 27.6 |
| 2011 | 16.6 | 15.7 | 27.4 |
| 2010 | 16.7 | 15.6 | 27.2 |
| 2009 | 16.7 | 15.5 | 27 |
| 2008 | 16.7 | 15.5 | 26.7 |
| 2007 | 16.8 | 15.4 | 26.5 |
| 2006 | 16.8 | 15.3 | 26.3 |
| 2005 | 16.8 | 15.2 | 26.1 |
| 2004 | 16.9 | 15.1 | 25.9 |
| 2003 | 16.9 | 15.1 | 25.7 |
| 2002 | 16.9 | 15 | 25.5 |
| 2001 | 16.9 | 14.9 | 25.3 |
| 2000 | 16.8 | 14.8 | 25.1 |
| 1999 | 16.8 | 14.8 | 24.9 |
| 1998 | 16.7 | 14.7 | 24.7 |
| 1997 | 16.6 | 14.7 | 24.4 |
| 1996 | 16.5 | 14.7 | 24.2 |
| 1995 | 16.5 | 14.7 | 24 |
| 1994 | 16.4 | 14.7 | 23.8 |
| 1993 | 16.3 | 14.7 | 23.5 |
| 1992 | 16.2 | 14.7 | 23.3 |
| 1991 | 16.2 | 14.7 | 23.1 |
| 1990 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 22.9 |
| 1989 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 22.8 |
| 1988 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 22.6 |
| 1987 | 16.1 | 14.5 | 22.4 |
| 1986 | 16.2 | 14.5 | 22.2 |
| 1985 | 16.2 | 14.4 | 22 |
| 1984 | 16.3 | 14.4 | 21.9 |
| 1983 | 16.4 | 14.4 | 21.8 |
| 1982 | 16.5 | 14.3 | 21.7 |
| 1981 | 16.6 | 14.2 | 21.6 |
| 1980 | 16.7 | 14.2 | 21.5 |
| 1979 | 16.8 | 14.2 | 21.3 |
| 1978 | 16.9 | 14.3 | 21.1 |
| 1977 | 17.1 | 14.3 | 21 |
| 1976 | 17.2 | 14.4 | 20.8 |
| 1975 | 17.3 | 14.5 | 20.7 |
| 1974 | 17.4 | 14.6 | 20.5 |
| 1973 | 17.5 | 14.7 | 20.4 |
| 1972 | 17.7 | 14.9 | 20.4 |
| 1971 | 17.8 | 15 | 20.3 |
| 1970 | 17.9 | 15.2 | 20.3 |
| 1969 | 18 | 15.3 | 20.3 |
| 1968 | 18.1 | 15.3 | 20.4 |
| 1967 | 18.2 | 15.3 | 20.5 |
| 1966 | 18.3 | 15.4 | 20.6 |
| 1965 | 18.3 | 15.5 | 20.8 |
| 1964 | 18.3 | 15.6 | 21 |
| 1963 | 18.3 | 15.7 | 21.2 |
| 1962 | 18.3 | 15.7 | 21.4 |
| 1961 | 18.3 | 15.8 | 21.4 |
| 1960 | 18.3 | 15.9 | 21.5 |
| 1959 | 18.3 | 16 | 21.5 |
| 1958 | 18.3 | 16 | 21.5 |
| 1957 | 18.3 | 16.1 | 21.6 |
| 1956 | 18.2 | 16.2 | 21.7 |
| 1955 | 18.2 | 16.2 | 21.8 |
| 1954 | 18.2 | 16.3 | 21.9 |
| 1953 | 18.2 | 16.3 | 22 |
| 1952 | 18.2 | 16.4 | 22.1 |
| 1951 | 18.1 | 16.4 | 22.1 |
| 1950 | 18.1 | 16.4 | 22.2 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Nigeria | Zambia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1817.9–18 | 17.717.6–17.8 | 30.6 |
| 2025 | 18.118–18.3 | 17.917.7–18.2 | 30.9 |
| 2026 | 18.418.1–18.6 | 18.217.8–18.6 | 31.1 |
| 2027 | 18.618.2–18.9 | 18.418–19 | 31.3 |
| 2028 | 18.818.3–19.3 | 18.618.1–19.4 | 31.6 |
| 2029 | 1918.4–19.6 | 18.918.2–19.8 | 31.8 |
| 2030 | 19.318.5–20 | 19.118.3–20.2 | 32 |
| 2031 | 19.518.6–20.4 | 19.318.4–20.6 | 32.2 |
| 2032 | 19.718.7–20.8 | 19.618.5–21.1 | 32.4 |
| 2033 | 2018.8–21.2 | 19.818.6–21.5 | 32.6 |
| 2034 | 20.218.8–21.6 | 2018.7–21.9 | 32.8 |
| 2035 | 20.518.9–22 | 20.318.7–22.3 | 33 |
| 2036 | 20.718.9–22.4 | 20.518.8–22.8 | 33.2 |
| 2037 | 2119–22.8 | 20.718.8–23.2 | 33.4 |
| 2038 | 21.219–23.2 | 20.918.9–23.7 | 33.6 |
| 2039 | 21.419–23.6 | 21.118.9–24.1 | 33.8 |
| 2040 | 21.718.9–24 | 21.419–24.5 | 34 |
| 2041 | 21.918.9–24.4 | 21.619–25 | 34.2 |
| 2042 | 22.118.9–24.8 | 21.819–25.4 | 34.4 |
| 2043 | 22.318.8–25.1 | 2219–25.9 | 34.6 |
| 2044 | 22.518.9–25.5 | 22.219.1–26.3 | 34.8 |
| 2045 | 22.719–25.9 | 22.519.3–26.7 | 35 |
| 2046 | 2319.1–26.3 | 22.719.4–27.2 | 35.2 |
| 2047 | 23.219.1–26.6 | 22.919.6–27.6 | 35.4 |
| 2048 | 23.419.3–27 | 23.119.7–28 | 35.6 |
| 2049 | 23.719.4–27.3 | 23.419.9–28.4 | 35.9 |
| 2050 | 23.919.5–27.7 | 23.620–28.8 | 36.1 |
| 2051 | 24.119.7–28.1 | 23.820.1–29.3 | 36.3 |
| 2052 | 24.419.8–28.5 | 24.120.3–29.7 | 36.5 |
| 2053 | 24.619.9–28.8 | 24.320.4–30.1 | 36.7 |
| 2054 | 24.820–29.2 | 24.520.5–30.5 | 36.9 |
| 2055 | 25.120.2–29.5 | 24.720.6–30.9 | 37.1 |
| 2056 | 25.320.3–29.8 | 2520.8–31.2 | 37.3 |
| 2057 | 25.620.5–30 | 25.220.9–31.6 | 37.5 |
| 2058 | 25.820.6–30.3 | 25.421–31.9 | 37.6 |
| 2059 | 26.120.7–30.6 | 25.721.1–32.2 | 37.8 |
| 2060 | 26.320.8–30.9 | 25.921.1–32.5 | 37.9 |
| 2061 | 26.620.9–31.1 | 26.121.2–32.7 | 38 |
| 2062 | 26.821–31.4 | 26.421.3–33 | 38.1 |
| 2063 | 27.121.1–31.6 | 26.621.4–33.3 | 38.3 |
| 2064 | 27.321.2–31.8 | 26.821.5–33.5 | 38.4 |
| 2065 | 27.521.4–32 | 27.121.6–33.8 | 38.5 |
| 2066 | 27.821.5–32.3 | 27.321.6–34.1 | 38.6 |
| 2067 | 2821.6–32.5 | 27.521.7–34.3 | 38.7 |
| 2068 | 28.321.7–32.7 | 27.721.8–34.6 | 38.8 |
| 2069 | 28.521.8–32.9 | 27.921.9–34.9 | 38.9 |
| 2070 | 28.821.9–33.1 | 28.222–35.1 | 39 |
| 2071 | 2922–33.3 | 28.422.1–35.3 | 39.1 |
| 2072 | 29.222.2–33.5 | 28.622.3–35.6 | 39.2 |
| 2073 | 29.522.3–33.6 | 28.822.3–35.8 | 39.3 |
| 2074 | 29.722.4–33.8 | 2922.4–36.1 | 39.4 |
| 2075 | 29.922.5–34 | 29.222.5–36.3 | 39.5 |
| 2076 | 30.122.7–34.2 | 29.522.6–36.5 | 39.6 |
| 2077 | 30.322.8–34.4 | 29.722.8–36.7 | 39.7 |
| 2078 | 30.622.9–34.6 | 29.922.9–37 | 39.8 |
| 2079 | 30.823.1–34.7 | 30.123–37.2 | 40 |
| 2080 | 3123.2–34.9 | 30.323.1–37.4 | 40.1 |
| 2081 | 31.223.4–35.1 | 30.523.2–37.6 | 40.2 |
| 2082 | 31.423.5–35.2 | 30.723.3–37.7 | 40.3 |
| 2083 | 31.523.7–35.4 | 30.923.3–37.9 | 40.4 |
| 2084 | 31.723.9–35.6 | 31.123.4–38 | 40.5 |
| 2085 | 31.924.1–35.7 | 31.323.5–38.2 | 40.6 |
| 2086 | 32.124.2–35.9 | 31.523.6–38.3 | 40.7 |
| 2087 | 32.324.4–36 | 31.723.7–38.4 | 40.9 |
| 2088 | 32.424.6–36.1 | 3223.8–38.5 | 41 |
| 2089 | 32.624.7–36.2 | 32.223.9–38.7 | 41.1 |
| 2090 | 32.824.9–36.3 | 32.424–38.8 | 41.2 |
| 2091 | 32.925–36.4 | 32.624.2–39 | 41.3 |
| 2092 | 33.125.2–36.5 | 32.824.3–39.1 | 41.4 |
| 2093 | 33.325.3–36.6 | 3324.4–39.3 | 41.5 |
| 2094 | 33.425.5–36.7 | 33.224.5–39.4 | 41.6 |
| 2095 | 33.625.6–36.8 | 33.424.6–39.5 | 41.7 |
| 2096 | 33.725.7–36.8 | 33.624.7–39.6 | 41.8 |
| 2097 | 33.925.8–36.9 | 33.824.8–39.7 | 41.9 |
| 2098 | 3426–37 | 3424.9–39.8 | 42 |
| 2099 | 34.226.1–37 | 34.225–39.9 | 42 |
| 2100 | 34.326.2–37.1 | 34.425.1–40 | 42.1 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Half the people are older than this age and half are younger.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Nigeria vs Zambia
Health
- Life expectancyNigeria: 54.5 years in 2023Zambia: 66.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNigeria: 11.6 per 100 live births in 2024Zambia: 4.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNigeria: 69.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zambia: 38.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionNigeria: 3.92% in 2017Zambia: 3.64% in 2017
- Suicide rateNigeria: 7.5 per 100,000 people in 2017Zambia: 13.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNigeria: 228 million people in 2023Zambia: 20.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthNigeria: 2.1% a year in 2023Zambia: 2.83% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNigeria: 4.48 births per woman in 2023Zambia: 4.1 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationNigeria: 63.8% in 2025Zambia: 45.9% in 2025
- People aged 65 and overNigeria: 3% in 2023Zambia: 1.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateNigeria: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Zambia: 0.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingNigeria: 0.91% of GDP in 2025Zambia: 1.26% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsNigeria: $1.76B in 2025Zambia: $343M in 2025
- Military spending per personNigeria: $9 in 2025Zambia: $19 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingNigeria: 5.9% of government spending in 2025Zambia: 4.5% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelNigeria: 223,000 people in 2020Zambia: 16,000 people in 2020
- National powerNigeria: 1.16% of world capability in 2022Zambia: 0.1% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNigeria: 0.23% of the labour force in 2020Zambia: 0.24% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNigeria: 21 million TIV in 2025Zambia: 1 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsNigeria: 4 million TIV in 2022Zambia: 2 million TIV in 1990