Income share held by highest 20% in Nigeria
Nigeria: Income share held by highest 20% was 41.6% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Income share held by highest 20% in Nigeria, 1985–2022
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 41.6% for income share held by highest 20% in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by highest 20% in Nigeria peaked at 56.5% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 41.6%, in 2022.
Nigeria ranks 63rd of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Income share held by highest 20% in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 45.0% | — |
| 1992 | 49.3% | +9.6% |
| 1996 | 56.5% | +14.6% |
| 2003 | 46.0% | -18.6% |
| 2010 | 42.9% | -6.7% |
| 2012 | 42.8% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 43.1% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 42.4% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 41.6% | -1.9% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 41.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 43.1%, 97% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 41.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 45.2%, 92% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 45.0% | 45.0% | 45.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 52.9% | 49.3% | 56.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 46.0% | 46.0% | 46.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 42.8% | 42.4% | 43.1% | 4 |
| 2020s | 41.6% | 41.6% | 41.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More poverty & inequality data for Nigeria
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 4.48 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,558 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 0.607 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 7.17 (2007)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 7.2% (2007)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2007)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share held by highest 20% in Nigeria?
- Income share held by highest 20% in Nigeria was 41.6% in 2022, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest income share held by highest 20% recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 56.5% in 1996.
- What is the lowest income share held by highest 20% recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.6% in 2022.
- How does Nigeria rank for income share held by highest 20%?
- Nigeria ranks 63rd out of 123 countries with data for 2022.
- Is income share held by highest 20% rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Income share held by highest 20%. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.