Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in Nigeria
Nigeria: Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted was 2.66 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2.66 million hectares
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
19th
of 185 countries
All-time high
2.66 million hectares
in 2025
All-time low
1.61 million hectares
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in Nigeria, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2025, forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in Nigeria stood at 2.66 million hectares. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in Nigeria peaked at 2.66 million hectares in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.61 million hectares, in 1990.
Nigeria ranks 19th of 185 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.61 million hectares | — |
| 1991 | 1.64 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 1.67 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 1.70 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 1.73 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 1.76 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 1.79 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 1.82 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 1.85 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 1.88 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 1.91 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 1.94 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 1.97 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 2.00 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 2.03 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 2.06 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 2.09 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 2.12 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 2.15 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 2.18 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 2.21 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 2.24 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 2.27 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 2.30 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 2.33 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 2.36 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 2.39 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 2.42 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 2.45 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 2.48 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 2.51 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 2.54 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 2.57 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 2.60 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 2.63 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 2.66 million hectares | +1.1% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 2.66 million hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 118,396 hectares, 22.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 2.66 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 112,210 hectares, 23.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.75 million hectares | 1.61 million hectares | 1.88 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.05 million hectares | 1.91 million hectares | 2.18 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.34 million hectares | 2.21 million hectares | 2.48 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.58 million hectares | 2.51 million hectares | 2.66 million hectares | 6 |
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)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.78 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.4617 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in Nigeria?
- Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in Nigeria was 2.66 million hectares in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 2.66 million hectares in 2025.
- What is the lowest forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.61 million hectares in 1990.
- How does Nigeria rank for forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted?
- Nigeria ranks 19th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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