Africa · Western Africa
Niger Demographics
Niger has a very young population, a fertility rate far above the 2.1 births-per-woman replacement benchmark, rapid population growth, and a settlement pattern that remained about half rural in the latest urban-structure series used here.
Core indicators use UN DESA World Population Prospects 2024 as processed by Our World in Data, PopulationClock.org, Database.earth, and Worldstats.io. Urban settlement shares use the Our World in Data rural, town and city series. Projection values are medium-variant scenario estimates, not observed counts.
Last updated: July 2, 2026
Core Demographic Indicators
Detailed Demographic Indicators
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26.16 million | 2023 | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Projected population | 28.36 million | 2026 | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 medium-variant processing |
| Annual population growth rate | 3.3% | 2023 | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Median age | 15.3 years | 2023 | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 6.06 births per woman | 2023 | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 61.2 years | 2023 | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Net migration | +995 people | 2023 | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Population density | 20.7 people per km² | 2023 | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Births | 1.096 million | 2023 | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Deaths | 231,700 | 2023 | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Age dependency ratio | 98.2 dependents per 100 working-age people | 2023 | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality | 11.0% | 2024 | Our World in Data |
| Rural population share | 50.6% | 2020 | Our World in Data, rural-town-city settlement series |
| Town population share | 25.9% | 2020 | Our World in Data, rural-town-city settlement series |
| City population share | 23.5% | 2020 | Our World in Data, rural-town-city settlement series |
| Projected population | 90.6 million | 2100 | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 medium-variant processing |
Table analysis
- The 2023 population estimate is 26.16 million, while the 2026 medium-variant value is 28.36 million; these are not the same measurement year.
- The 2023 fertility rate of 6.06 births per woman sits far above the 2.1 replacement benchmark used for comparison.
- The age dependency ratio of 98.2 means the number of people under 15 or aged 65+ was nearly equal to the working-age population in the 2023 series.
- The 2020 settlement split places 50.6% of the population in rural areas, with 25.9% in towns and 23.5% in cities.
Population Trend
Niger Population Trend
Selected WPP-derived historical estimates, separated from projection values.
Source: Worldstats.io WPP 2024 rounded historical display for 1960-2020; Our World in Data processed UN WPP 2024 for 2023. Values are shown as population counts.
Trend analysis
- The selected series rises from about 3.51 million in 1960 to 26.16 million in 2023.
- The 2000 to 2023 span moves from about 11.5 million to 26.16 million, more than doubling over the displayed period.
- Rounded historical values and the exact 2023 OWID value are displayed together only as a WPP-derived historical trend; projection values appear in a separate module.
Historical Population Table
| Year | Population | Population type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Data not available | Historical estimate | Data not available in the visible source set |
| 1960 | 3,505,050 | Historical estimate | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 1970 | 4.7 million | Historical estimate, rounded display | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 1980 | 6.1 million | Historical estimate, rounded display | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 1990 | 8.3 million | Historical estimate, rounded display | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 2000 | 11.5 million | Historical estimate, rounded display | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 2010 | 16.5 million | Historical estimate, rounded display | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 2020 | 23.7 million | Historical estimate, rounded display | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 2023 | 26,159,867 | Historical estimate | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
Table analysis
- The table keeps 1950 visible because it is part of the requested long-run reference set, but the value is not shown without a confirmed matching source.
- The rounded decadal values are useful for scale; the 2023 value is more precise because it comes from the OWID processed UN WPP profile.
- The table does not mix the 2026 projection with observed or historical estimates.
Detailed Population History and Indicator Coverage
| Year | Population | Yearly % change | Yearly change | Net migration | Median age | Fertility rate | Density | Urban profile | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3,505,050 | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 1970 | 4.7 million | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 1980 | 6.1 million | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 1990 | 8.3 million | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 2000 | 11.5 million | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 2010 | 16.5 million | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Worldstats.io, WPP 2024 rounded display |
| 2020 | 23.7 million | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | 49.4% in towns or cities; 50.6% rural | Worldstats.io for population; Our World in Data for settlement split |
| 2023 | 26,159,867 | 3.3% | Data not available | +995 | 15.3 years | 6.06 | 20.7 people per km² | Data not available for 2023 in the rural-town-city series used here | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
Data analysis
- The table keeps unavailable cells visible rather than filling them with modelled values from another definition.
- The 2023 row has the fullest indicator coverage in the source set used for this page.
- The 2020 settlement split is not carried forward to 2023 because the source series does not provide a matching 2023 value here.
Age-Sex Population Structure
Male and Female Population
Total population by sex where a WPP-derived processed source exposes the split.
Source: Database.earth, processed from UN WPP 2024. Detailed five-year age-by-sex counts were not available in the visible source set used for this page, so no population pyramid is produced.
Male and Female Population Table
| Measure | Male | Female | Total | Male share | Female share | Sex ratio | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total population by sex | 13,725,329 | 13,307,084 | 27,032,413 | 50.77% | 49.23% | 103.1 males per 100 females | 2024 | Database.earth, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| Five-year age group by sex | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available in the visible source set |
Age-sex analysis
- The 2024 processed split gives 13.73 million males and 13.31 million females.
- The male count exceeds the female count by 418,245 in the displayed source.
- The total sex ratio is 103.1 males per 100 females.
- No five-year age-by-sex table is shown because the detailed age groups were not available in the visible source set used here.
- No population pyramid is produced because a full pyramid requires detailed age-by-sex counts, not only total male and female counts.
Age Structure and Dependency
Dependency Ratio Path
Youth, old-age and total dependency ratios in the processed WPP medium-variant series.
Source: PopulationClock.org, processed from UN WPP 2024. Ratios are dependents per 100 working-age people.
| Year | Youth dependency | Old-age dependency | Total dependency | Aged 65+ share | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 92 | 5 | 97 | 3% | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 processing |
| 2050 | 57 | 6 | 63 | 3% | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 medium-variant processing |
| 2100 | 32 | 19 | 51 | 13% | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 medium-variant processing |
Data analysis
- The displayed 2024 dependency structure is dominated by youth dependency: 92 youth dependents per 100 working-age people.
- The old-age dependency ratio is low in 2024 at 5, matching the very small 65+ share of 3%.
- The medium-variant path lowers total dependency from 97 in 2024 to 51 in 2100, while the older-age share rises to 13%.
- These are projection-scenario values after 2024, not observed future counts.
Fertility and Replacement-Level Comparison
Fertility Rate Compared With Replacement Level
Total fertility rate in 2023 compared with the broad 2.1 births-per-woman benchmark.
Source: Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024. The 2.1 benchmark is a broad reference value and does not adjust for country-specific mortality or migration.
| Year | Fertility rate | Measure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6.06 | Births per woman | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| 2024 | 5.94 | Births per woman, medium-variant processing | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 processing |
| 2026 | 5.64 | Births per woman, medium-variant processing | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 processing |
| 2050 | 3.22 | Births per woman, medium-variant projection | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 medium-variant processing |
Data analysis
- The 2023 value is 6.06 births per woman, almost three times the 2.1 replacement benchmark.
- The 2026 processed value is lower at 5.64, but it remains far above replacement level.
- The 2050 value is a projection-scenario value, not a measured future outcome.
Urbanization Structure
Rural, Town and City Population Shares
Settlement structure in the latest rural-town-city series value used here.
Source: Our World in Data rural-town-city settlement series, 2020. Town and city shares are shown separately because this series is not the same as every national urban definition.
| Settlement category | Population share | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rural | 50.6% | 2020 | Our World in Data rural-town-city settlement series |
| Towns | 25.9% | 2020 | Our World in Data rural-town-city settlement series |
| Cities | 23.5% | 2020 | Our World in Data rural-town-city settlement series |
| Towns plus cities | 49.4% | 2020 | Calculated from the two visible OWID settlement shares |
Data analysis
- The 2020 split places 50.6% of the population in rural areas.
- Towns and cities together account for 49.4%, but the table keeps towns and cities separate to preserve the source definition.
- This settlement split should not be read as a national legal urban definition without checking the source definition used for the series.
Migration and Natural Change
Projected 2026 Population Change Components
Natural change, net migration and total population change in the processed WPP medium-variant value.
Source: PopulationClock.org, processed from UN WPP 2024 medium variant. Rounding in the source display can create small arithmetic differences.
| Year | Births | Deaths | Natural change | Net migration | Net population change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.096 million | 231,700 | Data not available | +995 | Data not available | Our World in Data, processed from UN WPP 2024 |
| 2026 | 1,157,021 | 243,202 | +913,819 | -10,620 | +903,204 | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 medium-variant processing |
Data analysis
- The 2026 processed series shows births of 1,157,021 and deaths of 243,202.
- Natural change is positive at +913,819, while net migration is negative at -10,620.
- The net population change remains strongly positive because natural change is much larger than the negative migration balance.
- The 2023 row is retained separately because it comes from a different processed display and does not expose the same component fields.
Population Projection Scenario
Medium-Variant Population Projection
Selected projection years from the processed UN WPP 2024 medium-variant path.
Source: PopulationClock.org, processed from UN WPP 2024 medium variant. Projection values are scenario-based estimates.
| Year | Projected population | Median age | Fertility rate | Life expectancy | Scenario | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26.6 million | 15 years | 5.94 | 61 years | Medium variant processing | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 processing |
| 2026 | 28,363,276 | 15.7 years | 5.64 | 61.9 years | Medium variant processing | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 processing |
| 2050 | 52.0 million | 21.2 years | 3.22 | Data not available | Medium variant projection | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 medium-variant processing |
| 2075 | 76.0 million | Data not available | Data not available | Data not available | Medium variant projection | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 medium-variant processing |
| 2100 | 90.6 million | 34 years | Data not available | 73.1 years | Medium variant projection | PopulationClock.org, UN WPP 2024 medium-variant processing |
Projection analysis
- The medium-variant path moves from 26.6 million in 2024 to 90.6 million in 2100.
- The projected 2050 population is 52.0 million, nearly double the 2024 processed value.
- The median age path rises from 15 years in 2024 to 34 years in 2100 in the displayed processed values.
- Projection years are scenario values and should not be read as observed future data.
Demographic Overview
The WPP-derived series shows rapid growth from about 3.51 million in 1960 to 26.16 million in 2023, with the 2026 medium-variant value at 28.36 million.
The 2023 median age is 15.3 years, and the 2024 dependency table shows youth dependency as the dominant part of the dependency ratio.
The 2023 fertility rate is 6.06 births per woman, far above the 2.1 replacement benchmark used for the comparison chart.
The 2023 net migration value is +995 people, while the 2026 processed medium-variant component table shows net migration at -10,620.
The 2020 settlement series gives 50.6% rural, 25.9% towns and 23.5% cities; town and city categories are not merged with every national urban definition.
The medium-variant projection table reaches 52.0 million in 2050 and 90.6 million in 2100, using processed UN WPP 2024 scenario values.
Data Sources and Methodology
| Source | Year or release | Used for | Method note |
|---|---|---|---|
| UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024 | 2024 release | Underlying source for population estimates, projections, fertility, life expectancy, migration, births, deaths and age structure in the processed datasets used on this page. | Used through visible processed tables because the page only lists sources that support visible values. |
| Our World in Data, Population and Demography profile for Niger | 2023 values; 2020 settlement split; 2024 under-5 mortality value | 2023 population, growth, median age, fertility, life expectancy, births, deaths, net migration, density, age dependency ratio and 2020 rural-town-city shares. | Processed country profile values derived from UN WPP 2024 and related population datasets. |
| PopulationClock.org Niger profile | 2024-2100 processed WPP 2024 values | 2026 projected population, births, deaths, natural change, net migration, dependency ratios, fertility path, median age path, life expectancy path and projection table. | Processed UN WPP 2024 medium-variant values; rounded display can create small arithmetic differences. |
| Database.earth Niger population profile | 2024 processed value | Total male and female population counts, male share, female share and total sex ratio. | Used only for the sex split because detailed five-year age-by-sex counts were not available in the visible source set. |
| Worldstats.io Niger population page | WPP 2024 rounded display | Selected historical population rows for 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020. | Used as a rounded WPP-derived display for long-run scale; exact annual WPP download values were not repeated where not visible in the source set. |
Indicator Definitions
| Indicator | Definition | Unit | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | Country population estimate for the stated year in the source series. | People | Historical, current and projection values are kept separate when their measurement type differs. |
| Fertility rate | Average births per woman under the source series assumptions for the stated year. | Births per woman | Compared with 2.1 only as a broad replacement benchmark. |
| Median age | Age at which half the population is younger and half is older. | Years | Projection years are scenario values. |
| Net migration | Immigration minus emigration in the stated source year. | People | Does not equal immigration or emigration separately. |
| Age dependency ratio | Population younger than 15 plus population aged 65+ per 100 people aged 15-64. | Per 100 working-age people | Youth and old-age dependency ratios are listed separately where available. |
| Urban and town population | Towns plus cities in the OWID rural-town-city settlement series used here. | Percent of population | This is not automatically identical to every national urban definition. |
| Projection | Scenario-based estimate for a future year. | People or demographic rate | Projection values are not observed data. |
| Sex ratio | Male population divided by female population, multiplied by 100. | Males per 100 females | The page uses total male and female counts only; five-year age-by-sex ratios are not shown. |
Method note
- UN WPP 2024 is the base dataset for the processed demographic values used here.
- Exact 2023 OWID values and rounded processed WPP displays are not treated as identical precision levels.
- Population projections are separated from the historical population trend chart.
- Unavailable values remain marked as Data not available rather than filled with unsupported estimates.
Methodological Safety Note
Methodological Safety Note: Niger population values can differ by source because resident population, mid-year estimate, rounded processed display, census count and projection are different measures. The 2026 and later values shown here are UN WPP 2024 medium-variant scenario estimates, not observed future data. Fertility, life expectancy, migration and dependency values are source-year specific. Urbanization uses a rural-town-city settlement series, which may not match every national urban definition. Male and female shares are calculated from the displayed 2024 sex counts; detailed five-year age-by-sex counts were not available in the visible source set used for this page, so no population pyramid is shown. Rounded values may not sum exactly.
Data Notes
Why are 2023 and 2026 population values both shown?
The 2023 value is a processed historical estimate, while the 2026 value is a medium-variant projection-style value from a processed WPP display. They are kept separate by year and source.
Why is there no population pyramid?
A proper population pyramid requires detailed age-by-sex groups. The visible source set used here exposed total male and female counts but not the full five-year age-by-sex table.
How is the urban share handled?
The page uses the rural-town-city settlement split: 50.6% rural, 25.9% towns and 23.5% cities in 2020. Towns plus cities equal 49.4%, but this is not the same as every national urban definition.
Are projection values guaranteed predictions?
No. Projection values are scenario-based estimates. The 2050, 2075 and 2100 values shown here use the processed UN WPP 2024 medium variant.