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Countries in Africa Ranked by Population (2025)

Population: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).

Summary

Nigeria ranks #1 with 237.53 million people. That is 1.8 times Ethiopia in second place (135.47 million people). The top five are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Arab Rep., Congo, Dem. Rep. and Tanzania. Together the top 10 account for 61.3% of the total across the 54 countries in Africa listed. The median across all 54 is 14.96 million people; Seychelles is last at 122,730 people. Nigeria's figure has risen 83% since 2001 (129.86 million people to 237.53 million people in 2025).

#1
Nigeria · 237.53 million people
Median
14.96 million people
Coverage
54 countries in Africa
Data year
2025
Last updated
2026-11-14
Top 10: PopulationBar chart of the top 10: 1. Nigeria 237.53 million; 2. Ethiopia 135.47 million; 3. Egypt, Arab Rep. 118.37 million; 4. Congo, Dem. Rep. 112.83 million; 5. Tanzania 70.55 million; 6. South Africa 64.75 million; 7. Kenya 57.53 million; 8. Sudan 51.66 million; 9. Uganda 51.39 million; 10. Algeria 47.44 million.Nigeria237.53 millionEthiopia135.47 millionEgypt, Arab Rep.118.37 millionCongo, Dem. Rep.112.83 millionTanzania70.55 millionSouth Africa64.75 millionKenya57.53 millionSudan51.66 millionUganda51.39 millionAlgeria47.44 million
Top 10: Population (people). Bar chart of the top 10: 1. Nigeria 237.53 million; 2. Ethiopia 135.47 million; 3. Egypt, Arab Rep. 118.37 million; 4. Congo, Dem. Rep. 112.83 million; 5. Tanzania 70.55 million; 6. South Africa 64.75 million; 7. Kenya 57.53 million; 8. Sudan 51.66 million; 9. Uganda 51.39 million; 10. Algeria 47.44 million.
Population over time, top 5Nigeria: 129.86 million in 2001 to 237.53 million in 2025; Ethiopia: 69.49 million in 2001 to 135.47 million in 2025; Egypt, Arab Rep.: 74.65 million in 2001 to 118.37 million in 2025; Congo, Dem. Rep.: 52.13 million in 2001 to 112.83 million in 2025; Tanzania: 35.2 million in 2001 to 70.55 million in 2025.059.38 million118.77 million178.15 million237.53 million200120132025NigeriaEthiopiaEgypt, Arab Rep.Congo, Dem. Rep.Tanzania
Population over time, top 5 (people). Nigeria: 129.86 million in 2001 to 237.53 million in 2025; Ethiopia: 69.49 million in 2001 to 135.47 million in 2025; Egypt, Arab Rep.: 74.65 million in 2001 to 118.37 million in 2025; Congo, Dem. Rep.: 52.13 million in 2001 to 112.83 million in 2025; Tanzania: 35.2 million in 2001 to 70.55 million in 2025.
Share of the total: PopulationNigeria 15.4%; Ethiopia 8.8%; Egypt, Arab Rep. 7.7%; Congo, Dem. Rep. 7.3%; Tanzania 4.6%; All others 56.4%15%9%56%

Nigeria 15.4%Ethiopia 8.8%Egypt, Arab Rep. 7.7%Congo, Dem. Rep. 7.3%Tanzania 4.6%All others 56.4%

Share of the total: Population, as a share of 54 countries in Africa. Nigeria 15.4%; Ethiopia 8.8%; Egypt, Arab Rep. 7.7%; Congo, Dem. Rep. 7.3%; Tanzania 4.6%; All others 56.4%.

Full ranking

Countries in Africa Ranked by Population, 2025
RankCountryPopulation (people)
1Nigeria237,530,000
2Ethiopia135,470,000
3Egypt, Arab Rep.118,370,000
4Congo, Dem. Rep.112,830,000
5Tanzania70,546,000
6South Africa64,747,000
7Kenya57,532,000
8Sudan51,662,000
9Uganda51,385,000
10Algeria47,435,000
11Angola39,040,000
12Morocco38,431,000
13Mozambique35,632,000
14Ghana35,064,000
15Madagascar32,741,000
16Côte d'Ivoire32,712,000
17Cameroon29,879,000
18Niger27,918,000
19Mali25,199,000
20Burkina Faso24,075,000
21Malawi22,216,000
22Zambia21,914,000
23Chad21,004,000
24Somalia, Fed. Rep.19,655,000
25Senegal18,932,000
26Zimbabwe16,951,000
27Guinea15,100,000
28Benin14,814,000
29Rwanda14,569,000
30Burundi14,390,000
31Tunisia12,349,000
32South Sudan12,189,000
33Sierra Leone8,819,800
34Togo8,591,600
35Libya7,458,600
36Congo, Rep.6,484,400
37Liberia5,731,200
38Central African Republic5,513,300
39Mauritania5,315,100
40Eritrea3,607,000
41Namibia3,092,800
42Gambia, The2,822,100
43Gabon2,593,100
44Botswana2,562,100
45Lesotho2,363,300
46Guinea-Bissau2,249,500
47Equatorial Guinea1,938,400
48Eswatini1,256,200
49Mauritius1,243,700
50Djibouti1,184,100
51Comoros882,850
52Cabo Verde527,330
53São Tomé and Principe240,250
54Seychelles122,730

About the top 10

#6 South Africa

South Africa ranks #6 on this list with 64.75 million people.

Capital
Pretoria, Cape Town
Continent
Africa
Income group
Upper middle income
Population
64.75 million people (2025)
GDP
US$427.18 billion (2025)
GDP per person
US$6,598 (2025)
Life expectancy
66.3 years (2024)
Urban population
63.8% of population (2025)

Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.

Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.

Full country profile

Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.

Related rankings

Source and method

Population: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.

Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.POP.TOTL. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.

The World Bank: Population, total: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN) (via World Development Indicators)

Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN); Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices, National Statistical Offices (NSOs); Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, Eurostat (ESTAT).

Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.