Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. GDP per capita in Nigeria
Nigeria: Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. GDP per capita was 0.38 per 1,000 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. GDP per capita in Nigeria, 1960–2023
Source: World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita in Nigeria is 0.38 per 1,000 people, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita in Nigeria peaked at 0.428 per 1,000 people in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.017 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
That places Nigeria 147th out of 194 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. GDP per capita in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.017 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 0.043 per 1,000 people | +152.9% |
| 1970 | 0.05 per 1,000 people | +16.3% |
| 1975 | 0.049 per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 0.113 per 1,000 people | +130.6% |
| 1982 | 0.149 per 1,000 people | +31.9% |
| 1985 | 0.192 per 1,000 people | +28.9% |
| 1986 | 0.187 per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1989 | 0.192 per 1,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 0.185 per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1993 | 0.192 per 1,000 people | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 0.269 per 1,000 people | +40.1% |
| 2003 | 0.255 per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2005 | 0.27 per 1,000 people | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 0.333 per 1,000 people | +23.3% |
| 2007 | 0.361 per 1,000 people | +8.4% |
| 2008 | 0.359 per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 0.36 per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 0.363 per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 0.428 per 1,000 people | +17.9% |
| 2018 | 0.364 per 1,000 people | -15.0% |
| 2019 | 0.356 per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 0.386 per 1,000 people | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 0.386 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.38 per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.03 per 1,000 people | 0.017 per 1,000 people | 0.043 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.0495 per 1,000 people | 0.049 per 1,000 people | 0.05 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.1666 per 1,000 people | 0.113 per 1,000 people | 0.192 per 1,000 people | 5 |
| 1990s | 0.1885 per 1,000 people | 0.185 per 1,000 people | 0.192 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.3153 per 1,000 people | 0.255 per 1,000 people | 0.361 per 1,000 people | 7 |
| 2010s | 0.3777 per 1,000 people | 0.356 per 1,000 people | 0.428 per 1,000 people | 4 |
| 2020s | 0.384 per 1,000 people | 0.38 per 1,000 people | 0.386 per 1,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
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)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 5.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 348.91 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 427,154 current LCU per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 2.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.4555 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) 557.59 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU) 2.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant LCU), per 209.92 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita in Nigeria?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita in Nigeria was 0.38 per 1,000 people in 2023, according to World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 0.428 per 1,000 people in 2016.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.017 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does Nigeria rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita?
- Nigeria ranks 147th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Medical doctors per 1,000 people vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Medical doctors include generalist physicians and specialist medical practitioners. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.