Quick facts
Owerri overview
Owerri (orange) and the other large cities of Nigeria
Owerri lies in Imo State in Nigeria at 5.48°N, 7.03°E, about 73 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Lagos (UTC+1); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Ogbia (549,774) and larger than Calabar (540,000). The largest city in Nigeria is Lagos with 15,388,000 people; the capital, Abuja, has 2,690,000.
The national capital, Abuja, is about 401 km away; the nearest large city is Umuahia, 51 km from Owerri.
Nigeria as a whole has a live population of 243,867,752 (+2% a year) and ranks #6 of 238 countries — see the Nigeria population page for the full statistics and the Nigeria atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Owerri
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Umuahia Abia State | 51 km | 370,000 |
| Okigwe Imo State | 52 km | 115,499 |
| Aba Abia State | 56 km | 1,160,000 |
| Nnewi Anambra | 61 km | 193,987 |
| Atani Anambra | 67 km | 230,000 |
| Nkpor Anambra | 77 km | 103,733 |
| Port Harcourt Rivers State | 79 km | 2,120,000 |
| Onitsha Anambra | 79 km | 1,553,000 |
Largest cities in Nigeria
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lagos | Lagos | 15,388,000 |
| 2 | Kano | Kano State | 4,910,000 |
| 3 | Ibadan | Oyo State | 3,649,000 |
| 4 | AbujaCapital | FCT | 2,690,000 |
| 5 | Port Harcourt | Rivers State | 2,120,000 |
| 6 | Kaduna | Kaduna State | 1,850,000 |
| 7 | Benin City | Edo State | 1,782,000 |
| 8 | Onitsha | Anambra | 1,553,000 |
| 9 | Aba | Abia State | 1,160,000 |
| 10 | Maiduguri | Borno State | 1,110,000 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Owerri?
Owerri has about 545,000 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Owerri the capital of Nigeria?
No. The capital of Nigeria is Abuja (2,690,000 people), about 401 km away. Owerri is the 26th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Owerri compared with the rest of Nigeria?
Its 545,000 residents are 0.2% of the 243,867,752 people living in Nigeria today. Lagos is larger with 15,388,000 people.
Where is Owerri?
In Imo State, Nigeria, at latitude 5.48 and longitude 7.03, 73 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Umuahia (51 km), Okigwe (52 km), Aba (56 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Owerri Population 2026 — Nigeria. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/nigeria/owerri/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/nigeria/owerri/">Owerri Population 2026 — Nigeria</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.