Water withdrawals per capita in Nigeria
Nigeria: Water withdrawals per capita was 54.74 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
54.74 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
156th
of 180 countries
All-time high
81.55 cubic meters per person
in 2000
All-time low
54.74 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
37
1987–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Nigeria, 1987–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for water withdrawals per capita in Nigeria is 54.74 cubic meters per person, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 37 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Nigeria peaked at 81.55 cubic meters per person in 2000 and was at its lowest, 54.74 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
Nigeria ranks 156th of 180 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 37 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 62.39 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1988 | 64.69 cubic meters per person | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 66.81 cubic meters per person | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 68.76 cubic meters per person | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 70.61 cubic meters per person | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 72.32 cubic meters per person | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 73.88 cubic meters per person | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 75.32 cubic meters per person | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 76.63 cubic meters per person | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 77.84 cubic meters per person | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 78.95 cubic meters per person | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 79.94 cubic meters per person | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 80.81 cubic meters per person | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 81.55 cubic meters per person | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 81.31 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 81.01 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 80.66 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 80.25 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 79.81 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 78.85 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 77.87 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 76.87 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 75.87 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 74.86 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 72.79 cubic meters per person | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 70.8 cubic meters per person | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 68.9 cubic meters per person | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 67.11 cubic meters per person | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 65.43 cubic meters per person | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 63.83 cubic meters per person | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 62.3 cubic meters per person | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 60.87 cubic meters per person | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 59.55 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 58.3 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 57.09 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 55.9 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 54.74 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 54.74 cubic meters per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 178.62 cubic meters per person, 31% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 54.74 cubic meters per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.54 cubic meters per person, 92% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 64.63 cubic meters per person | 62.39 cubic meters per person | 66.81 cubic meters per person | 3 |
| 1990s | 75.51 cubic meters per person | 68.76 cubic meters per person | 80.81 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.41 cubic meters per person | 75.87 cubic meters per person | 81.55 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.64 cubic meters per person | 59.55 cubic meters per person | 74.86 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.51 cubic meters per person | 54.74 cubic meters per person | 58.3 cubic meters per person | 4 |
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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 8.54 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in Nigeria?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Nigeria was 54.74 cubic meters per person in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 81.55 cubic meters per person in 2000.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.74 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Nigeria rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Nigeria ranks 156th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Water withdrawals per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses, divided by the population.