Nigeria vs Ethiopia: population pyramids in 1978
NigeriaEthiopia
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.
Nigeria and Ethiopia compared
In 1978, Nigeria has a population of 68.3 million and Ethiopia 33.4 million; Nigeria is about 2.0 times the size of Ethiopia.
The share aged 65 and over is 3.2% in Nigeria and 2.8% in Ethiopia, almost the same. The median age is 18.0 years in Nigeria and 16.9 years in Ethiopia.
The total fertility rate is 6.92 in Nigeria and 7.23 in Ethiopia, both above the replacement level of about 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 45.4 years in Nigeria and 41.5 years in Ethiopia.
By 2050, the population of Nigeria is projected to grow by 423.0% and that of Ethiopia to grow by 568.9% compared with 1978.
GDP per person is $1,224 in Nigeria (2025) and $933 in Ethiopia (2025).
Key figures (1978)
| Nigeria | Ethiopia | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 68.3 million | 33.4 million |
| Aged 0–14 | 44.0% | 46.0% |
| Aged 15–64 | 52.8% | 51.2% |
| Aged 65+ | 3.2% | 2.8% |
| Median age | 18.0 yrs | 16.9 yrs |
| Old-age dependency | 6.0 | 5.5 |
| Total fertility rate | 6.92 | 7.23 |
| Life expectancy | 45.4 yrs | 41.5 yrs |
| Population growth | +3.07% | +2.17% |
| Net migration (per year) | +111,258 | -210,991 |
| GDP | $291B (2025) | $126B (2025) |
| GDP per person | $1,224 (2025) | $933 (2025) |
| Unemployment | 3.1% (2025) | 3.3% (2025) |
Economic figures are the latest year published for each country.