Land use over the long-term in Nigeria
Nigeria: Land use over the long-term was 25.06 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
25.06 million hectares
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
29th
of 202 countries
All-time high
27.59 million hectares
in 1950
All-time low
9.61 million hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Land use over the long-term in Nigeria, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for land use over the long-term in Nigeria is 25.06 million hectares, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use over the long-term in Nigeria peaked at 27.59 million hectares in 1950 and was at its lowest, 9.61 million hectares, in 1000.
That places Nigeria 29th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Land use over the long-term in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 9.61 million hectares | — |
| 1100 | 10.10 million hectares | +5.0% |
| 1200 | 10.56 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 1300 | 11.65 million hectares | +10.3% |
| 1400 | 12.69 million hectares | +8.9% |
| 1500 | 13.68 million hectares | +7.8% |
| 1600 | 17.07 million hectares | +24.8% |
| 1700 | 21.52 million hectares | +26.0% |
| 1710 | 20.87 million hectares | -3.0% |
| 1720 | 20.24 million hectares | -3.0% |
| 1730 | 19.63 million hectares | -3.0% |
| 1740 | 19.03 million hectares | -3.1% |
| 1750 | 18.44 million hectares | -3.1% |
| 1760 | 17.88 million hectares | -3.1% |
| 1770 | 17.32 million hectares | -3.1% |
| 1780 | 16.79 million hectares | -3.1% |
| 1790 | 16.26 million hectares | -3.1% |
| 1800 | 15.76 million hectares | -3.1% |
| 1810 | 15.26 million hectares | -3.1% |
| 1820 | 14.78 million hectares | -3.2% |
| 1830 | 14.31 million hectares | -3.2% |
| 1840 | 13.85 million hectares | -3.2% |
| 1850 | 13.41 million hectares | -3.2% |
| 1860 | 13.66 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1870 | 13.97 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1880 | 14.44 million hectares | +3.4% |
| 1890 | 15.08 million hectares | +4.4% |
| 1900 | 15.64 million hectares | +3.7% |
| 1910 | 16.78 million hectares | +7.3% |
| 1920 | 18.03 million hectares | +7.4% |
| 1930 | 20.71 million hectares | +14.8% |
| 1940 | 23.55 million hectares | +13.7% |
| 1950 | 27.59 million hectares | +17.2% |
| 1951 | 27.45 million hectares | -0.5% |
| 1952 | 27.34 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 1953 | 27.26 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 27.18 million hectares | -0.3% |
| 1955 | 27.12 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1956 | 27.07 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1957 | 27.03 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1958 | 27.00 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1959 | 26.99 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 26.99 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 1961 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 27.00 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 26.68 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 26.64 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 26.60 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 26.57 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 26.53 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 26.49 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 26.45 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 26.41 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 26.37 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 26.33 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 26.29 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 26.25 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 26.21 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 26.64 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 26.14 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 26.10 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 26.06 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 26.02 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 25.98 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 25.94 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 25.90 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 25.86 million hectares | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 24.86 million hectares | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 24.71 million hectares | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 24.02 million hectares | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 24.02 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 24.04 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 24.05 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 24.07 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 24.18 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 24.30 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 24.32 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 23.47 million hectares | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 24.55 million hectares | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 24.67 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 24.79 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 24.91 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 25.03 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 25.14 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 25.26 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 25.28 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 25.17 million hectares | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 24.87 million hectares | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 25.02 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 25.14 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 25.13 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 25.11 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 25.09 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 25.06 million hectares | -0.1% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 25.06 million hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.30 million hectares, 7.6× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 25.06 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.45 million hectares, 3.9× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Land use over the long-term in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1700 | +26.0% | 17.07 million hectares | 21.52 million hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 9.61 million hectares | 9.61 million hectares | 9.61 million hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 10.10 million hectares | 10.10 million hectares | 10.10 million hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 10.56 million hectares | 10.56 million hectares | 10.56 million hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 11.65 million hectares | 11.65 million hectares | 11.65 million hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 12.69 million hectares | 12.69 million hectares | 12.69 million hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 13.68 million hectares | 13.68 million hectares | 13.68 million hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 17.07 million hectares | 17.07 million hectares | 17.07 million hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 21.52 million hectares | 21.52 million hectares | 21.52 million hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 20.87 million hectares | 20.87 million hectares | 20.87 million hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 20.24 million hectares | 20.24 million hectares | 20.24 million hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 19.63 million hectares | 19.63 million hectares | 19.63 million hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 19.03 million hectares | 19.03 million hectares | 19.03 million hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 18.44 million hectares | 18.44 million hectares | 18.44 million hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 17.88 million hectares | 17.88 million hectares | 17.88 million hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 17.32 million hectares | 17.32 million hectares | 17.32 million hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 16.79 million hectares | 16.79 million hectares | 16.79 million hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 16.26 million hectares | 16.26 million hectares | 16.26 million hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 15.76 million hectares | 15.76 million hectares | 15.76 million hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 15.26 million hectares | 15.26 million hectares | 15.26 million hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 14.78 million hectares | 14.78 million hectares | 14.78 million hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 14.31 million hectares | 14.31 million hectares | 14.31 million hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 13.85 million hectares | 13.85 million hectares | 13.85 million hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 13.41 million hectares | 13.41 million hectares | 13.41 million hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 13.66 million hectares | 13.66 million hectares | 13.66 million hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 13.97 million hectares | 13.97 million hectares | 13.97 million hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 14.44 million hectares | 14.44 million hectares | 14.44 million hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 15.08 million hectares | 15.08 million hectares | 15.08 million hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 15.64 million hectares | 15.64 million hectares | 15.64 million hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 16.78 million hectares | 16.78 million hectares | 16.78 million hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 18.03 million hectares | 18.03 million hectares | 18.03 million hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 20.71 million hectares | 20.71 million hectares | 20.71 million hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 23.55 million hectares | 23.55 million hectares | 23.55 million hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 27.20 million hectares | 26.99 million hectares | 27.59 million hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 27.00 million hectares | 26.99 million hectares | 27.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.89 million hectares | 26.60 million hectares | 27.00 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.39 million hectares | 26.21 million hectares | 26.57 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.95 million hectares | 24.86 million hectares | 26.64 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.12 million hectares | 23.47 million hectares | 24.71 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.97 million hectares | 24.55 million hectares | 25.28 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.09 million hectares | 25.02 million hectares | 25.14 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 land use over the long-term in Nigeria?
- Land use over the long-term in Nigeria was 25.06 million hectares in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land use over the long-term recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 27.59 million hectares in 1950.
- What is the lowest land use over the long-term recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.61 million hectares in 1000.
- How does Nigeria rank for land use over the long-term?
- Nigeria ranks 29th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is land use over the long-term rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land use over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total grazingland area for each separate country over time.