Ethiopia vs Nigeria: population pyramids in 1972
EthiopiaNigeria
Each bar is the share of the total population at that single year of age (men left, women right), so countries of different sizes can be compared.
Ethiopia and Nigeria compared
In 1972, Ethiopia has a population of 29 million and Nigeria 57.9 million; Nigeria is about 2.0 times the size of Ethiopia.
The share aged 65 and over is 2.8% in Ethiopia and 3.3% in Nigeria, almost the same. The median age is 17.7 years in Ethiopia and 18.7 years in Nigeria.
The total fertility rate is 6.90 in Ethiopia and 6.58 in Nigeria, both above the replacement level of about 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 41.0 years in Ethiopia and 41.3 years in Nigeria.
By 2050, the population of Ethiopia is projected to grow by 670.0% and that of Nigeria to grow by 516.8% compared with 1972.
GDP per person is $933 in Ethiopia (2025) and $1,224 in Nigeria (2025).
Key figures (1972)
| Ethiopia | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 29 million | 57.9 million |
| Aged 0–14 | 44.7% | 42.6% |
| Aged 15–64 | 52.4% | 54.1% |
| Aged 65+ | 2.8% | 3.3% |
| Median age | 17.7 yrs | 18.7 yrs |
| Old-age dependency | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| Total fertility rate | 6.90 | 6.58 |
| Life expectancy | 41.0 yrs | 41.3 yrs |
| Population growth | +2.64% | +2.45% |
| Net migration (per year) | -3,375 | -12,962 |
| GDP | $126B (2025) | $291B (2025) |
| GDP per person | $933 (2025) | $1,224 (2025) |
| Unemployment | 3.3% (2025) | 3.1% (2025) |
Economic figures are the latest year published for each country.