Egypt, Arab Rep. vs Nigeria
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
Egypt and Nigeria are Africa's second and largest economies, both facing substantial economic challenges. Nigeria has a much larger population (220M vs 105M) and is more oil-dependent, while Egypt's economy is more diversified across tourism, Suez Canal revenues, remittances, and manufacturing. Both countries have experienced high inflation and currency crises in recent years. Egypt's strategic position controlling the Suez Canal gives it geopolitical leverage, while Nigeria's vast oil reserves and young population represent unrealized economic potential.
Egypt, Arab Rep. has a GDP of $429.64B compared to Nigeria's $377.37B, making it 1.1x larger. Egypt, Arab Rep.'s population is 118.4M vs Nigeria's 237.5M. Across 12 key indicators, Egypt, Arab Rep. leads in 7 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Egypt, Arab Rep. |  Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $429.64B✓ | $377.37B |
| GDP per Capita | $3,904✓ | $1,556 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 4.2%✓ | 4.1% |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $23,321✓ | $9,994 |
| Population | 118.4M | 237.5M✓ |
| Life Expectancy | 71.8 years✓ | 54.6 years |
| Inflation (%) | 13.2%✓ | 16.0% |
| Unemployment (%) | 7.4% | N/A |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 87.0% | 32.3%✓ |
| Fertility Rate | 2.7 | 4.4✓ |
| Gini Index | 28.5✓ | 33.9 |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 2.5 | 0.6✓ |
Summary
Egypt, Arab Rep. has a GDP of $429.64B compared to Nigeria's $377.37B, making the former economy 1.1x larger. In terms of population, Egypt, Arab Rep. has 118.4M people while Nigeria has 237.5M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Egypt, Arab Rep. leads in 7 and Nigeria leads in 4.
Why sources report different numbers
The IMF, World Bank and United Nations each publish these series on their own release schedule. Where their figures differ, the reason is usually visible in the reference year rather than in the methodology.
| Source | Egypt, Arab Rep. | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $429.64B2026 | $377.37B2026 |
| World Bank | $365.25B2025 | $290.79B2025 |
| United Nations | $306.91B2024 | $252.08B2024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Egypt, Arab Rep. spans about 40% across 2 years, wide enough that a rebasing or currency revaluation is likely involved as well; Nigeria spans about 50% across 2 years, wide enough that a rebasing or currency revaluation is likely involved as well.
| Source | Egypt, Arab Rep. | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $3,9042026 | $1,5562026 |
| World Bank | $3,0862025 | $1,2242025 |
| United Nations | $2,6342024 | $1,0832024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Egypt, Arab Rep. spans about 48% across 2 years, wide enough that a rebasing or currency revaluation is likely involved as well; Nigeria spans about 44% across 2 years, wide enough that a rebasing or currency revaluation is likely involved as well.
Figures are reproduced as published by each source, converted to a common unit, with each publisher's own reference year shown. Differences are described, not adjudicated — no source is presented as more correct than another.
Egypt, Arab Rep.Nigeria