Updated
Overview
Nigeria has 4.1 times the population of Kenya: 237.53 million people against 57.53 million (2025).
Nigeria's economy is 2.1 times the size of Kenya's, at $290.79B versus $135.94B.
Per person, Kenya is the wealthier of the two: $2,363 against $1,224 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Nigeria | Kenya | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $290.79B | $135.94B | 2025 | $187.76B / $124.50B |
| GDP per capita | $1,224 | Higher: $2,363 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 4.0% | Higher: 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 23.0% | Lower: 4.1% | 2025 | 33.2% / 4.5% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.1% | 5.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | — | 34 | — / 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $52 | Higher: $137 | 2024 / 2019 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $44 | Higher: $119 | 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 237.53 million | 57.53 million | 2025 | 244.34 million / 55.75 million |
| Population growth | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 18.1 yrs | 20.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 4.30 | 3.12 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 54.6 yrs | Higher: 63.8 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 64% | 32% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 41% | 35% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 923,768 km² | 580,367 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 257.1/km² | 99.1/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 136 Mt | Lower: 21 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 0.6 t | Lower: 0.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $1.13B | $1.23B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.6% | 1.0% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 223,000 | 24,000 | 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
Kenya is growing faster: 4.6% annual GDP growth versus 4.0%.
Inflation is a serious concern in Nigeria at 23.0%, while the other economy sits at 4.1%.
Average monthly earnings favour Kenya: $137 against $52 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 18.1 (Nigeria) and 20.0 (Kenya).
Life expectancy is 9.2 years longer in Kenya (63.8 vs 54.6).
Nigeria is considerably more urbanized: 64% of people live in cities, against 32%.
Geography
By land area, Nigeria is 59% larger than Kenya: 923,768 km² versus 580,367 km².
Both sit in the same broad region but do not share a border.
Nigeria is far more densely settled: 257 people per km² against 99.
Military
Defence budgets are of similar magnitude: $1.13B (Nigeria) and $1.23B (Kenya).
Nigeria fields the larger armed forces: 223,000 personnel against 24,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Nigeria bigger than Kenya?
- Nigeria is larger by land area. Nigeria covers 923,768 km² while Kenya covers 580,367 km², so Nigeria is 59% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Nigeria or Kenya?
- Nigeria has the larger population: 237.53 million versus 57.53 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Nigeria richer than Kenya?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Kenya is richer: $2,363 against $1,224. Total GDP tells a different story: $290.79B for Nigeria versus $135.94B for Kenya.
- Who spends more on their military, Nigeria or Kenya?
- Kenya spends more: $1.23B versus $1.13B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).