Nigeria

Adult literacy in Nigeria

Adult literacy in Nigeria: 55.5% in 1991 and 70.4% in 2024, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2024
70.4%
Since 1991
+15 percentage points
World, 2024
87.7%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in NigeriaAdult literacy in Nigeria: 55.5% in 1991 and 70.4% in 2024, by UNESCO estimates. The highest was 70.4% in 2024, the lowest 54.8% in 2003.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

What the numbers say

  • The highest was 70.4% in 2024, the lowest 54.8% in 2003.

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearNigeriaWorld
202470.487.7
2023–87.6
2022–87.4
202163.287.2
2020–87
2019–86.8
2018–86.8
2017–86.5
201658.286.3
2015–86
2014–85.6
2013–85.2
2012–84.9
2011–84.7
2010–84.4
2009–83.8
2008–83.5
2007–83.1
200670.282.5
2005–82.6
2004–82.6
200354.882.2
2002–81.7
2001–81.4
2000–81.1
1999–80.9
1998–80.5
1997–79.3
1996–77.3
1995–76.9
1994–76.4
1993–76
1992–75.5
199155.575.1
1990–74.6
1989–74.1
1988–73.6
1987–71.9
1986–71.3
1985–70.7
1984–70.2
1983–69.5
1982–68.9
1981–68.4
1980–67.8
1979–67.2
1978–66.5
1977–65.9
1976–65.6
1975–65.4

Good to know

  • The share of people aged 15 and over who can read and write a short, simple statement about their everyday life.
  • Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, via the World Bank.
  • 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

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