At a glance
Nigeria vs Afghanistan: 28 indicators side by side
| Indicator |  Nigeria |  Afghanistan | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 👥 Population | |||
| Population people | 243,859,046 | 45,400,503 | Nigeria 5.4× |
| Population growth rate % per year | +2 | +2.7 | -0.7 pts |
| Population density people per km² | 2642026 | 69.52026 | +194.4 |
| Surface area km² | 923,7702023 | 652,8702023 | Nigeria 1.4× |
| Birth rate births per 1,000 people | 32.52024 | 352024 | -2.5 |
| Death rate deaths per 1,000 people | 11.62024 | 5.72024 | +5.9 |
| Net migration rate per 1,000 people per year | 0 | -1.2 | +1.2 |
| Urban population % of population | 63.82025 | 25.92025 | +37.8 pts |
| Sex ratio males per 100 females | 102.5 | 102.1 | +0.4 |
| ❤️ Demographics & Health | |||
| Life expectancy years | 54.62024 | 66.32024 | -11.7 |
| Fertility rate births per woman | 4.382024 | 4.762024 | -0.38 |
| Median age years | 18.3 | 17.4 | +0.9 |
| Infant mortality deaths per 1,000 live births | 66.9 | 40 | +26.9 |
| Population under 15 % of population | 40.52025 | 42.62025 | -2 pts |
| Population aged 65+ % of population | 3.12025 | 2.42025 | +0.6 pts |
| 💰 Economy | |||
| GDP current US$ | $290.79B2025 | $17.78B2024 | Nigeria 16× |
| GDP per capita current US$ | $1,2242025 | $4172024 | Nigeria 2.9× |
| Unemployment rate % of labor force | 3.12025 | 13.42025 | -10.3 pts |
| Inflation rate % annual, consumer prices | 232025 | -6.62024 | +29.6 pts |
| 🌱 Environment & Energy | |||
| CO₂ emissions Mt CO₂ per year | 131.92024 | 12.072024 | Nigeria 11× |
| CO₂ emissions per capita tonnes per person | 0.572024 | 0.282024 | +0.28 |
| Energy use per capita kg of oil equivalent per person | 3202023 | – | – |
| Renewable energy share % of final energy | 80.32021 | 202022 | +60.3 pts |
| Forest area % of land area | 23.22023 | 1.92023 | +21.4 pts |
| Freshwater resources per capita m³ per person per year | 9902022 | 1,1622022 | Afghanistan 1.2× |
| Water stress % of resources withdrawn | 5.62022 | 432022 | -37.4 pts |
| 📶 Digital | |||
| Internet users % of population | 41.22024 | 16.12024 | +25.1 pts |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 70.82024 | 60.12024 | +10.7 |
▲ marks the higher value (for death rate, infant mortality, unemployment, inflation, CO₂ and water stress: the lower value). "Difference" is the ratio for absolute measures and Nigeria minus Afghanistan for rates and shares. Years in grey are the latest available for that country.
Nigeria compared with Afghanistan
Nigeria has a live population of about 243,859,046 (#6 in the world) and Afghanistan about 45,400,503 (#36), so Nigeria has 5.4 times as many people as Afghanistan. Nigeria is growing at 2% a year and Afghanistan at 2.7%.
By area Nigeria is larger: 923,770 km² against 652,870 km², which gives population densities of 264 people per km² in Nigeria and 69.5 in Afghanistan.
Nigeria's economy is worth $290.79B (2025) and Afghanistan's $17.78B (2024); per person that is $1,224 in Nigeria versus $417 in Afghanistan, so the average Nigeria resident produces 2.9 times as much.
Life expectancy is 54.6 years in Nigeria and 66.3 in Afghanistan; women have 4.4 children on average in Nigeria compared with 4.8 in Afghanistan; the median age is 18.3 versus 17.4 years.
63.8% of Nigeria's people live in cities against 25.9% in Afghanistan; 41.2% use the internet in Nigeria and 16.1% in Afghanistan; CO₂ emissions per person are 0.6 t in Nigeria and 0.3 t in Afghanistan.
Population over time
Life expectancy & fertility
Birth & death rates
Age structure
CO₂ emissions
Energy use & renewables
Forest area
Urban population
Water resources & stress
Economy
Unemployment & inflation
Internet & mobile
Frequently asked questions
Which is bigger, Nigeria or Afghanistan?
By population Nigeria is bigger: 243,859,046 people versus 45,400,503 (live estimates, October 2026). By area Nigeria is larger (923,770 km² vs 652,870 km²).
Which has the larger economy, Nigeria or Afghanistan?
Nigeria: GDP of $290,794,361,542 versus $17,778,508,876 in current US dollars (World Bank, 2025/2024).
Where do people live longer, Nigeria or Afghanistan?
Life expectancy at birth is 54.6 years in Nigeria and 66.3 years in Afghanistan, a difference of 11.7 years in favour of Afghanistan.
How are these comparisons calculated?
Live populations extrapolate the UN World Population Prospects baseline with each country's growth rate; every other figure is the latest value published by World Bank Open Data (or the UN for median age, infant mortality and migration). Each row shows the year of the figure, and the charts below overlay the full historical series of both countries.
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Afghanistan vs IraqSources & method: live populations are linear extrapolations of the UN World Population Prospects estimates; all other indicators are the latest values from World Bank Open Data (UN WPP for median age, infant mortality, sex ratio and net migration). Figures are statistical estimates, not census counts. Page generated 2026-10-19. More about our data.