EnglishEnglish
中文Chinese (Simplified)
EspañolSpanish
हिन्दीHindi
العربيةArabic
FrançaisFrench
PortuguêsPortuguese
РусскийRussian
DeutschGerman
日本語Japanese
United States
Poland
Maldives
Iraq ↑ 54
Austria vs Czechia
Ethiopia vs Nigeria
Side-by-side comparison of Ethiopia and Nigeria from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Ethiopia
Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 1,926 years
In short
Nigeria scores 36.1 in the NationsTree Index (142nd in the world) and Ethiopia scores 33.6 (151st), a gap of 2.5 points. Their trees are 12 m and 26 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Nigeria has 75% more people than Ethiopia. Ethiopia has 22% more land area than Nigeria. Nigeria has an economy 4.6 times the size of Ethiopia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Ethiopia 135.5 million and Nigeria 237.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $9,532 in Nigeria and $3,622 in Ethiopia (2025, international dollars). People in Ethiopia live on average 13.0 years longer (67.6 vs 54.6 years).
Of 33 indicators reported by both countries, Ethiopia ranks higher in the world on 16 and Nigeria on 17. Ethiopia is clearly stronger in tourism and environment & energy. Nigeria is clearly stronger in science & innovation, natural resources and infrastructure & digital.
As a nation, Ethiopia is the older of the two (statehood since 100, 1,926 years), compared with Nigeria (since 1963). Over the last five years Nigeria improved faster (direction score 84 vs 83 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Ethiopia and Nigeria.
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Nigeria overtook Ethiopia in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Ethiopia overtook Nigeria in life expectancy in 1991 and has stayed ahead since.
Nigeria has been ahead of Ethiopia in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
EthiopiaNigeria All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Ethiopia | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 1,129,81926th/216 · 2024 | 923,76831st/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 1,122,13525th/216 · 2024 | 910,77030th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 135.5 m10th/217 · 2025 | 237.5 m6th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.55%24th/217 · 2025 | 2.06%45th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 117.792nd/216 · 2024 | 255.553rd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 24.1%207th/217 · 2025 | 63.8%112th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 38.8%30th/217 · 2025 | 40.5%20th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 3.3%184th/217 · 2025 | 3.1%193rd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $126.36 bn67th/210 · 2025 | $290.79 bn50th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $490.64 bn54th/199 · 2025 | $2.26 trn19th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $419.27 bn54th/199 · 2025 | $1.93 trn19th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $933198th/210 · 2025 | $1,224188th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $3,622180th/199 · 2025 | $9,532141st/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $1,110184th/201 · 2025 | $1,360175th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 9.8%6th/210 · 2025 | 4.0%78th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 13.2%164th/180 · 2025 | 23.0%171st/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.3%53rd/187 · 2025 | 3.1%44th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 31.4%2019 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 43.3%71st/189 · 2025 | 36.1%51st/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -1.2%58th/192 · 2025 | -1.8%71st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 32.8%9th/197 · 2025 | 23.0%28th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 27.8%65th/200 · 2025 | 16.4%153rd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 4.2%160th/192 · 2025 | 8.3%122nd/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 36.6%190th/200 · 2025 | 58.2%98th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $16.79 bn96th/182 · 2025 | — |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $25.49 bn87th/182 · 2025 | — |
| Exports % of GDP | 13.3%166th/183 · 2025 | — |
| Imports % of GDP | 20.2%167th/183 · 2025 | — |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 33.5%174th/183 · 2025 | — |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%140th/170 · 2023 | 85.9%8th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 9.2%135th/171 · 2023 | 6.1%144th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 80.4%12th/171 · 2023 | 6.4%134th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.7%140th/171 · 2023 | 0.9%137th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 3.8%109th/168 · 2023 | 2.7%125th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -0.8%89th/191 · 2025 | 4.8%38th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.0%72nd/196 · 2025 | 1.4%126th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 5.9%66th/209 · 2021 | 8.6%52nd/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 6.25%23rd/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 1.16%29th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%64th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%62nd/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.26%60th/209 · 2021 | 0.01%84th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 5.60%12th/209 · 2021 | 1.13%50th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 14.6%76th/206 · 2024 | 40.8%13th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 973131st/183 · 2022 | 990128th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 518,000121st/194 · 2020 | 5.3 m35th/194 · 2016 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $2.28 bn48th/175 · 2020 | $321.0 m106th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 29.6%25th/168 · 2020 | 0.8%156th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 133,0001996 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 67.6170th/217 · 2024 | 54.6217th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 44.5161st/196 · 2024 | 115.6196th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.14157th/174 · 2023 | 0.38129th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.32016 | 0.52004 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 73%162nd/193 · 2024 | 67%176th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 16.6%145th/153 · 2022 | 53.4%110th/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 33.9%2015 | 46.9%159th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 22.2%2018 | 20.7%2018 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 5.7%184th/217 · 2025 | 5.4%192nd/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 2.8%183rd/193 · 2023 | 4.2%151st/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 60.5%87th/98 · 2022 | 70.4%79th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 5.9%2014 | 9.7%2011 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.497180th/193 · 2023 | 0.560164th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 31.130th/108 · 2021 | 33.952nd/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 38.6%96th/108 · 2021 | 41.8%100th/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 56.6%190th/215 · 2024 | 62.5%183rd/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 13.5%145th/150 · 2024 | 29.9%130th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 8.1%143rd/144 · 2024 | 32.2%108th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 21.9%174th/186 · 2024 | 41.2%156th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 65186th/210 · 2024 | 71178th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.6178th/208 · 2024 | 0.1198th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.122016 | 2.4096th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 75469th/82 · 2018 | 3,5282015 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 15.3 m43rd/161 · 2023 | 5.3 m58th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.1517th/203 · 2024 | 0.5746th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 90.6%7th/212 · 2021 | 80.3%16th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 23.8138th/200 · 2023 | 65.7197th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 23.8%123rd/214 · 2024 | 18.9%133rd/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 393131st/149 · 2024 | 317142nd/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 39.7153rd/205 · 2025 | 33.6178th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 40.5121st/207 · 2025 | 26.5173rd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 43.2159th/207 · 2025 | 43.0161st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 33.1196th/207 · 2025 | 35.1192nd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 42.9155th/205 · 2025 | 44.4148th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 34.3172nd/205 · 2025 | 45.6136th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 8.52012 | 15.7126th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $528.1 m103rd/156 · 2025 | $2.10 bn64th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.5%145th/156 · 2025 | 0.9%120th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 4.1%106th/154 · 2025 | 5.9%61st/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 138,00044th/170 · 2020 | 223,00030th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.28%146th/168 · 2020 | 0.23%152nd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 63.0 m59th/163 · 2025 | 21.0 m88th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 17.0 m1997 | 4.0 m51st/65 · 2022 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.27%2017 | 0.28%2019 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 6678th/137 · 2024 | 41049th/137 · 2020 |
| Scientific articles articles | 6,72854th/197 · 2023 | 9,79943rd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Ethiopia or Nigeria?
Nigeria has the larger population: 237.5 m (2025) compared with 135.5 m for Ethiopia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Ethiopia or Nigeria?
Ethiopia is larger: 1,129,819 km² (2024) compared with 923,768 km² for Nigeria (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Ethiopia or Nigeria?
Nigeria has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $2.26 trn intl. (2025) compared with $490.64 bn intl. for Ethiopia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Ethiopia or Nigeria?
Nigeria has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $9,532 intl. (2025) compared with $3,622 intl. for Ethiopia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Ethiopia or Nigeria?
Ethiopia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 67.6 years (2024) compared with 54.6 years for Nigeria (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Ethiopia or Nigeria?
Nigeria spends more on the military: $2.10 bn (2025) compared with $528.1 m for Ethiopia (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Ethiopia or Nigeria?
Nigeria: 36.1 points (142nd in the world); Ethiopia: 33.6 points (151st). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Angola
Ghana
Kenya
South Africa
Tanzania
EgyptSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Ethiopia vs Nigeria — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/ethiopia-vs-nigeria. Data as of 26 October 2026.