Forest area as a proportion of total land area in Nigeria
Nigeria: Forest area as a proportion of total land area was 18.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Forest area as a proportion of total land area in Nigeria, 1990–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2025, forest area as a proportion of total land area in Nigeria stood at 18.8%. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area as a proportion of total land area in Nigeria peaked at 23.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 18.8%, in 2025.
That places Nigeria 133rd out of 219 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Forest area as a proportion of total land area in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 23.7% | — |
| 2000 | 22.3% | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 20.9% | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 20.2% | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 19.5% | -3.5% |
| 2025 | 18.8% | -3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.7% | 23.7% | 23.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 22.3% | 22.3% | 22.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 20.5% | 20.2% | 20.9% | 2 |
| 2020s | 19.2% | 18.8% | 19.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More environment data for Nigeria
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.07 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.281 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.15 °C (2025)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, annual growth rate -42.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, per capita 0.0008 t per person (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import value, annual growth rate -42.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area as a proportion of total land area in Nigeria?
- Forest area as a proportion of total land area in Nigeria was 18.8% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest forest area as a proportion of total land area recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 23.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area as a proportion of total land area recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.8% in 2025.
- How does Nigeria rank for forest area as a proportion of total land area?
- Nigeria ranks 133rd out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area as a proportion of total land area rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Forest area as a proportion of total land area (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).