Updated
Overview
Nigeria has 16 times the population of Benin: 237.53 million people against 14.81 million (2025).
Nigeria's economy is 12 times the size of Benin's, at $290.79B versus $24.57B.
Per person, Benin is the wealthier of the two: $1,658 against $1,224 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Nigeria | Benin | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $290.79B | $24.57B | 2025 | $187.76B / $21.48B |
| GDP per capita | $1,224 | Higher: $1,658 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 4.0% | Higher: 8.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 23.0% | Lower: 1.1% | 2025 | 33.2% / 1.2% |
| Unemployment | 3.1% | Lower: 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | — | 34 | — / 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $52 | Higher: $136 | 2024 / 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $44 | Higher: $86 | 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 237.53 million | 14.81 million | 2025 | 244.34 million / 15.19 million |
| Population growth | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 18.1 yrs | 18.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 4.30 | 4.42 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 54.6 yrs | Higher: 61.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 64% | 53% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 41% | 34% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 923,768 km² | 112,622 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 257.1/km² | 131.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 136 Mt | Lower: 6.07 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 0.6 t | Lower: 0.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $1.13B | $154.11M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.6% | 0.7% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 223,000 | 12,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Benin is growing much faster: 8.1% annual GDP growth versus 4.0%.
Inflation is a serious concern in Nigeria at 23.0%, while the other economy sits at 1.1%.
Average monthly earnings favour Benin: $136 against $52 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 18.1 (Nigeria) and 18.0 (Benin).
Life expectancy is 6.3 years longer in Benin (61.0 vs 54.6).
Nigeria is considerably more urbanized: 64% of people live in cities, against 53%.
Geography
By land area, Nigeria is 8.2 times the size of Benin: 923,768 km² versus 112,622 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Nigeria spends 7.4 times as much on defence as Benin: $1.13B versus $154.11M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Nigeria fields the larger armed forces: 223,000 personnel against 12,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Nigeria bigger than Benin?
- Nigeria is larger by land area. Nigeria covers 923,768 km² while Benin covers 112,622 km², so Nigeria is 8.2 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Nigeria or Benin?
- Nigeria has the larger population: 237.53 million versus 14.81 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Nigeria richer than Benin?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Benin is richer: $1,658 against $1,224. Total GDP tells a different story: $290.79B for Nigeria versus $24.57B for Benin.
- Who spends more on their military, Nigeria or Benin?
- Nigeria spends more: $1.13B versus $154.11M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).