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Nigeria vs South Africa

Nigeria and South Africa side by side across 203 indicators — each row links to the full 54-country ranking, with sources and the API call behind every figure.

GDP$377.37B vs $479.96BNigeria vs South Africa
GDP per Capita$1,556 vs $7,503Nigeria vs South Africa
Population237.53M vs 64.75MNigeria vs South Africa

Indicator by indicator

203 indicators

Each country shows its latest available year, which can differ by indicator. Rows where the two sides are 5+ years apart are marked ⚠ in the Period column.

Indicator Nigeria South AfricaPeriod
GDPEconomy$377.37B$479.96B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$1,556$7,5032026
Inflation RateEconomy15.9%5%2026-06
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy26.5%7%2026-07-01
Official Exchange RateEconomy1,376.34 LCU/USD16.37 LCU/USD2026-07
Budget BalanceEconomy-4.4%-4.9%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy3.1%32.4%2025
Public DebtEconomy32.3%78.9%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$-322.41M$8.16B1960/2025 ⚠
GDP GrowthEconomy4.1%1%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$1,360$6,2702025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$9,230$15,6002025
GDP (PPP)Economy$2.26T$1.03T2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy23%2.8%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy16.4%24.1%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy8.3%12.3%2025
Services (% of GDP)Economy58.2%63.1%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy—13.9%2025
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$22.79B$1B2025
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy7.8%0.2%2025
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy60%44.8%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$46.02B$76.02B2025
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy9.6%89.4%2022/2024
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy—25.9%2024
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy82.5%55.6%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy80.7%49.9%2025
Income Inequality (Gini)Economy33.954.12022
Extreme Poverty RateEconomy41.8%17.4%2022
Account OwnershipEconomy63.3%81.1%2024
Youth NEET RateEconomy11.9%34.6%2024
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy0.6%0.7%2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy26.2%60.9%1960/2025 ⚠
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy13.9%2.8%2025
Tourism ReceiptsEconomy$321M$2.72B2020
Tourist ArrivalsEconomy5.27M3.89M2016/2020
Current Account BalanceEconomy5.8%-0.9%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$1.08B$2.47B2024
FDI (% of GDP)Economy0.4%0.6%2024
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy10.8%27.2%2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy12.3%33%2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy5.4%60.1%2024
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy30.751.72024
Natural Resource RentsEconomy8.6%7.3%2021
Oil Rents (% of GDP)Economy6.2%0.4%2021
Mineral Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%3.8%2021
Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP)Economy1.2%0%2021
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy0.8%0.4%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$16$242023
Lending Interest RateEconomy14%10.7%2023/2025
Real Interest RateEconomy2.9%7.7%2023/2025
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy—12.9%2025
Adjusted Net Income per CapitaEconomy$1,663$5,5212021
Employment in AgricultureEconomy33.5%5.4%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy17%20.8%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy49.5%73.8%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy66.5%11.7%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy—65.8%2025
Income Share of Poorest 20%Economy7.5%3.7%2022
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy3.382024
ATMs per 100,000Economy12.8462024
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy1.9%-0%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy5.5%5.7%2024
Poverty Rate ($3.65/day)Economy64%30.2%2022
Poverty Rate ($6.85/day)Economy92.9%59.6%2022
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$387.79M$134.18B1960/2025 ⚠
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$710.2M$126.02B1960/2025 ⚠
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.8260.5532024
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.6940.1452024
Liner Shipping ConnectivityTrade20.839.12021
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade88.6%8.2%2024/2025
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade3.5%38.3%2024/2025
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade6%12.8%2024/2025
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade2.7%5.7%2024
Exports (% of GDP)Trade9.2%31.4%1960/2025 ⚠
Imports (% of GDP)Trade16.9%29.5%1960/2025 ⚠
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.560.7412023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.6770.3882023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment0.3790.4762023
PopulationDemographics237.53M64.75M2025
Population GrowthDemographics2.1%1.1%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics54.6 years66.3 years2024
Median AgeDemographics18.3 years28.9 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics4.382.212024
Rural PopulationDemographics36.2%36.2%2025
Population Under 15Demographics40.5%25.7%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics63.8%63.8%2025
Population DensityDemographics266.2/km²53.6/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics31.817.82026
Death RateDemographics11.59.312026
Net Migration RateDemographics-0.012.012026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics54.9 years69.8 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics54.3 years62.8 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics3.3%1.3%2025
Infant MortalityHealth69.824.22024
HIV PrevalenceHealth1.2%17.2%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health4.2%8.9%2023
Physicians per 1,000Health0.380.792023/2022
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth47742023
Road Traffic DeathsHealth17.224.52021
Premature NCD MortalityHealth17.7%22.7%2021
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth70.9%6.7%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth32.2%73.8%2024
Maternal MortalityHealth992.8117.62023
Under-Five MortalityHealth104.934.72023
Neonatal MortalityHealth33.711.72023
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth2193892024
Measles ImmunizationHealth56%66%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth62%65%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth52.3%22.2%2024
Basic SanitationHealth15.7%3.6%2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth3%7.2%2024
Hospital Beds per 1,000Health0.52.252004/2010 ⚠
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth21.6%54.6%2021/2016 ⚠
Skilled Birth AttendanceHealth50.7%96.7%2022/2016 ⚠
Nurses & Midwives per 1,000Health1.656.392022
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth8451.82024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$67$5372023
NCD Share of DeathsHealth27.7%37.2%2021
Smoking PrevalenceHealth3.1%23.7%2024
Antenatal Care CoverageHealth67%93.7%2018/2016
Child StuntingChild Welfare33.8%24.4%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare11.6%3.6%2021/2017
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare39.7%88.6%2024/2017 ⚠
Child MarriageChild Welfare33.4%3.6%2024/2016 ⚠
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare1.5%11.8%2021/2017
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education0.3%6%2023/2024
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation9.7%23.5%2011/2023 ⚠
Adult Literacy RateEducation70.4%91.2%2024
Youth Literacy RateEducation81.4%97.2%2024
Primary Completion RateEducation77.4%97.6%2024
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation74.1%92.5%2024
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation75.7%93.9%2023
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation—90.4%2023
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation—86.9%2023
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation68.5%62.2%2024
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation62.2%77.9%2018/2002 ⚠
Secondary EnrollmentEducation46.9%104.1%2023
UndernourishmentFood Security19.9%10%2023
Acute Food InsecurityFood Security16.5M—2026-06
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture76.2%79.4%2023
Food Production IndexAgriculture119.9113.22022
Cassava ProductionAgriculture62.62M t—2024
Coffee ProductionAgriculture1.81K t—2024
Cocoa ProductionAgriculture350K t—2024
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture6.5M t98K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture1.55M t6.33K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture11.16M t12.85M t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture9.13M t3.08K t2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture43.93K t1.92M t2024
Maize YieldAgriculture2,030 kg/ha4,874 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture1,997 kg/ha2,912 kg/ha2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture1,574 kg/ha3,809 kg/ha2024
Cattle StockAgriculture20.9M head12.1M head2024
Homicide RateGovernance15.743.72023/2022
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance26412024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.5050.7432025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.3110.6332025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.8340.5382025
Control of CorruptionGovernance-1.11-0.192024
Government EffectivenessGovernance-1.01-0.232024
Rule of LawGovernance-1.010.022024
Political StabilityGovernance-2-0.622024
Regulatory QualityGovernance-0.63-0.062024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance-0.730.612024
Refugees HostedHumanitarian123.85K55.18K2025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian3.54M02025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian18.19K82.36K2025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian002025
Internet UsersTechnology41.2%78.4%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology70.8179.32024
4G CoverageTechnology84.6%99.4%2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology0.15.32024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology1.6%1.3%2025
3G CoverageTechnology89.4%99.9%2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology15.5%3.4%2025
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology2.7%1.1%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology0.3%0.6%2019/2022
Electricity AccessInfrastructure62.5%90.2%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure5.27M15.45M2023
Slum PopulationInfrastructure48.5%24.2%2022
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy3.2K MW16.6K MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy284.5 MW11.3K MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy—4.3K MW2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy2.9K MW751.7 MW2025
Renewable Energy ShareEnergy80.3%9.7%2021
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy26.2%89.8%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy144 kWh3,247 kWh2023
Power Transmission LossesEnergy14.2%10.2%2023
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy118.1 MW14.1 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy23.5%86.3%2024
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy0.3%8%2025
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy0%4.7%2025
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy30.9%0.8%2025
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy68.7%82.2%2025
Electricity DemandEnergy39 TWh237 TWh2025
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy456 gCO₂/kWh699 gCO₂/kWh2025
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy2,343 kWh21,287 kWh2023/2024
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate0.57 t6.88 t2024
Renewable Electricity OutputClimate22.2%6.4%2021
Forest AreaClimate23.2%14%2023
Protected AreasClimate11.6%12.9%2025
Freshwater WithdrawalsClimate5.6%47.1%2022
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate65.7 µg/m³27.7 µg/m³2023

Get this comparison via API

GET /v1/data

One call returns both countries' latest value for any indicator — JSON, with source metadata.

curl "https://api.africa-api.com/v1/data?metric_key=gdp_current_usd&latest=true&country_codes=NG,ZA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"
Nigeria profileSouth Africa profileGet a free API key

Frequently asked questions

Does Nigeria or South Africa have the larger economy?

South Africa has the larger economy: $377.37B for Nigeria versus $479.96B for South Africa (GDP, current US$).

How do Nigeria and South Africa compare across indicators?

This page compares Nigeria and South Africa on 203 indicators — economy, demographics, health, governance and more — each with its latest value, source, and a link to the full 54-country ranking.

How do I get this comparison via the API?

Call GET /v1/data?metric_key=<key>&latest=true&country_codes=NG,ZA with a free Africa API key to get both countries' latest values as JSON.

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