External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita in Nigeria
Nigeria: External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita was 467.42 DOD, current US$ per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita in Nigeria, 1970–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in DOD, current US$ per person.
Analysis
In 2024, external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita in Nigeria stood at 467.42 DOD, current US$ per person. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 86.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita in Nigeria peaked at 467.42 DOD, current US$ per person in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14.97 DOD, current US$ per person, in 1970.
Nigeria ranks 93rd of 122 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | DOD, current US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 14.97 DOD, current US$ per person | — |
| 1971 | 16.79 DOD, current US$ per person | +12.1% |
| 1972 | 18.46 DOD, current US$ per person | +10.0% |
| 1973 | 29.61 DOD, current US$ per person | +60.4% |
| 1974 | 30.49 DOD, current US$ per person | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 26.61 DOD, current US$ per person | -12.7% |
| 1976 | 20.5 DOD, current US$ per person | -23.0% |
| 1977 | 46.8 DOD, current US$ per person | +128.3% |
| 1978 | 73.44 DOD, current US$ per person | +56.9% |
| 1979 | 87.34 DOD, current US$ per person | +18.9% |
| 1980 | 121.17 DOD, current US$ per person | +38.7% |
| 1981 | 150.46 DOD, current US$ per person | +24.2% |
| 1982 | 153.01 DOD, current US$ per person | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 218.51 DOD, current US$ per person | +42.8% |
| 1984 | 215.49 DOD, current US$ per person | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 219.74 DOD, current US$ per person | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 254.66 DOD, current US$ per person | +15.9% |
| 1987 | 323.97 DOD, current US$ per person | +27.2% |
| 1988 | 321.93 DOD, current US$ per person | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 318.65 DOD, current US$ per person | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 344.5 DOD, current US$ per person | +8.1% |
| 1991 | 336.21 DOD, current US$ per person | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 283.46 DOD, current US$ per person | -15.7% |
| 1993 | 292.04 DOD, current US$ per person | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 306.59 DOD, current US$ per person | +5.0% |
| 1995 | 307.66 DOD, current US$ per person | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 276.16 DOD, current US$ per person | -10.2% |
| 1997 | 243.82 DOD, current US$ per person | -11.7% |
| 1998 | 252.94 DOD, current US$ per person | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 236.46 DOD, current US$ per person | -6.5% |
| 2000 | 265.18 DOD, current US$ per person | +12.1% |
| 2001 | 269.33 DOD, current US$ per person | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 275.56 DOD, current US$ per person | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 305.07 DOD, current US$ per person | +10.7% |
| 2004 | 325.48 DOD, current US$ per person | +6.7% |
| 2005 | 232.07 DOD, current US$ per person | -28.7% |
| 2006 | 117.33 DOD, current US$ per person | -49.4% |
| 2007 | 127.13 DOD, current US$ per person | +8.3% |
| 2008 | 129.57 DOD, current US$ per person | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 140.38 DOD, current US$ per person | +8.3% |
| 2010 | 174.92 DOD, current US$ per person | +24.6% |
| 2011 | 199.14 DOD, current US$ per person | +13.8% |
| 2012 | 222.94 DOD, current US$ per person | +12.0% |
| 2013 | 235.32 DOD, current US$ per person | +5.6% |
| 2014 | 251.07 DOD, current US$ per person | +6.7% |
| 2015 | 236.14 DOD, current US$ per person | -5.9% |
| 2016 | 223.78 DOD, current US$ per person | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 325.3 DOD, current US$ per person | +45.4% |
| 2018 | 338.83 DOD, current US$ per person | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 388.3 DOD, current US$ per person | +14.6% |
| 2020 | 409.31 DOD, current US$ per person | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 440.47 DOD, current US$ per person | +7.6% |
| 2022 | 461.86 DOD, current US$ per person | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 449.67 DOD, current US$ per person | -2.6% |
| 2024 | 467.42 DOD, current US$ per person | +3.9% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 467.42 DOD, current US$ per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,062 DOD, current US$ per person, 44% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 467.42 DOD, current US$ per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 568.34 DOD, current US$ per person, 82% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +128.3% | 20.5 DOD, current US$ per person | 46.8 DOD, current US$ per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 36.5 DOD, current US$ per person | 14.97 DOD, current US$ per person | 87.34 DOD, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 229.76 DOD, current US$ per person | 121.17 DOD, current US$ per person | 323.97 DOD, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 287.98 DOD, current US$ per person | 236.46 DOD, current US$ per person | 344.5 DOD, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 218.71 DOD, current US$ per person | 117.33 DOD, current US$ per person | 325.48 DOD, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 259.57 DOD, current US$ per person | 174.92 DOD, current US$ per person | 388.3 DOD, current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 445.75 DOD, current US$ per person | 409.31 DOD, current US$ per person | 467.42 DOD, current US$ per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 90 Pakistan 516.25 DOD, current US$ per person compare
- 91 Togo 510.81 DOD, current US$ per person compare
- 92 India 493.79 DOD, current US$ per person compare
- 94 Burkina Faso 460.54 DOD, current US$ per person compare
- 95 Comoros 444.91 DOD, current US$ per person compare
- 96 Turkmenistan 443.05 DOD, current US$ per person compare
More economy & growth data for Nigeria
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.32 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0148 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 18.13 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.9704 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0108 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 13.24 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -17.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0107 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita in Nigeria?
- External debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita in Nigeria was 467.42 DOD, current US$ per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 467.42 DOD, current US$ per person in 2024.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.97 DOD, current US$ per person in 1970.
- How does Nigeria rank for external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita?
- Nigeria ranks 93rd out of 122 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks, total (dod, current us$), per capita rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 86.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- External debt stocks, total International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
External debt stocks, total (DOD, current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.