Human trafficking victims in Nigeria
Nigeria: Human trafficking victims was 2,058 number in 2024. ▲ Rising
Human trafficking victims in Nigeria, 2008–2024
Source: UN Office on Drugs and Crime – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2024, human trafficking victims in Nigeria stood at 2,058 number.
The figure is down 4.8% on the previous year and up 99.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, human trafficking victims in Nigeria peaked at 2,883 number in 2022 and was at its lowest, 744 number, in 2012.
That places Nigeria 6th out of 135 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
Human trafficking victims in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,269 number | — |
| 2009 | 1,250 number | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 1,044 number | -16.5% |
| 2011 | 976 number | -6.5% |
| 2012 | 744 number | -23.8% |
| 2013 | 968 number | +30.1% |
| 2014 | 1,030 number | +6.4% |
| 2015 | 896 number | -13.0% |
| 2016 | 1,017 number | +13.5% |
| 2017 | 1,890 number | +85.8% |
| 2018 | 1,173 number | -37.9% |
| 2019 | 1,152 number | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 1,087 number | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 1,470 number | +35.2% |
| 2022 | 2,883 number | +96.1% |
| 2023 | 2,162 number | -25.0% |
| 2024 | 2,058 number | -4.8% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 2,058 number is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 162 number, 12.7× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 2,058 number is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 77 number, 26.7× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1,260 number | 1,250 number | 1,269 number | 2 |
| 2010s | 1,089 number | 744 number | 1,890 number | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,932 number | 1,087 number | 2,883 number | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More gender data for Nigeria
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 99,803 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6887 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 162,578 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 162,578 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.75 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 3.55 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 3.66 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 3.45 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 3.54 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 3.38 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is human trafficking victims in Nigeria?
- Human trafficking victims in Nigeria was 2,058 number in 2024, according to UN Office on Drugs and Crime – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest human trafficking victims recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 2,883 number in 2022.
- What is the lowest human trafficking victims recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 744 number in 2012.
- How does Nigeria rank for human trafficking victims?
- Nigeria ranks 6th out of 135 countries with data for 2024.
- Is human trafficking victims rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 99.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UN Office on Drugs and Crime – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Human trafficking victims. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 17 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Detected victims of human trafficking, by age and sex (number).