Share of women who are married or in a union in Nigeria
Nigeria: Share of women who are married or in a union was 22.8% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Share of women who are married or in a union in Nigeria, 1970–2018
Source: United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women who are married or in a union in Nigeria is 22.8%, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and down 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are married or in a union in Nigeria peaked at 37.0% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 22.8%, in 2018.
That places Nigeria 13th out of 221 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Share of women who are married or in a union in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 37.0% | — |
| 1971 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 37.0% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 36.5% | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 36.1% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 35.6% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 35.2% | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 34.7% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 34.2% | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 33.8% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 33.3% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 32.9% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 32.4% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 31.9% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 31.5% | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 31.0% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 30.5% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 30.1% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 29.6% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 29.2% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 28.7% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 28.1% | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 27.5% | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 26.9% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 26.3% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 25.8% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 25.2% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 24.6% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 24.0% | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 23.4% | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 22.8% | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 37.0% | 37.0% | 37.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.0% | 37.0% | 37.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.9% | 32.9% | 37.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.3% | 28.1% | 32.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.2% | 22.8% | 27.5% | 9 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 10 Guinea 28.1% compare
- 11 Burkina Faso 25.2% compare
- 12 Madagascar 24.0% compare
- 14 Nicaragua 22.4% compare
- 15 Equatorial Guinea 22.0% compare
- 16 Ethiopia 21.5% compare
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)
- 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)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 3.46 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 3.30 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 3.38 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are married or in a union in Nigeria?
- Share of women who are married or in a union in Nigeria was 22.8% in 2018, according to United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 37.0% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.8% in 2018.
- How does Nigeria rank for share of women who are married or in a union?
- Nigeria ranks 13th out of 221 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of women who are married or in a union rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are married or in a union. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of women aged 15-19 sharing a household with their partner, whether married, cohabiting, in consensual partnerships, or in other non-marital unions.