Nigeria vs South Africa
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
Nigeria and South Africa are Africa's two largest economies, competing for continental economic leadership. Nigeria's economy is larger in nominal GDP terms, driven by oil exports and a massive population (220M, Africa's largest). South Africa is more industrialized and diversified, with a stronger financial sector, mining industry (gold, platinum, diamonds), and manufacturing base. South Africa's GDP per capita is roughly three times Nigeria's, but both countries face severe challenges: Nigeria with infrastructure deficits and insecurity, South Africa with 30%+ unemployment and persistent inequality from the apartheid legacy.
Nigeria has a GDP of $377.37B compared to South Africa's $479.96B, making it 1.3x smaller. Nigeria's population is 237.5M vs South Africa's 64.7M. Across 12 key indicators, Nigeria leads in 6 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Nigeria |  South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $377.37B | $479.96B✓ |
| GDP per Capita | $1,556 | $7,503✓ |
| GDP Growth (%) | 4.1%✓ | 1.0% |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $9,994 | $16,740✓ |
| Population | 237.5M✓ | 64.7M |
| Life Expectancy | 54.6 years | 66.3 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 16.0% | 3.9%✓ |
| Unemployment (%) | N/A | 32.5% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 32.3%✓ | 78.9% |
| Fertility Rate | 4.4✓ | 2.2 |
| Gini Index | 33.9✓ | 54.1 |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 0.6✓ | 6.9 |
Summary
Nigeria has a GDP of $377.37B compared to South Africa's $479.96B, making the latter economy 1.3x larger. In terms of population, Nigeria has 237.5M people while South Africa has 64.7M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Nigeria leads in 6 and South Africa leads in 5.
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 | Nigeria | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $377.37B2026 | $479.96B2026 |
| World Bank | $290.79B2025 | $427.18B2025 |
| United Nations | $252.08B2024 | $401.15B2024 |
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. Nigeria spans about 50% across 2 years, wide enough that a rebasing or currency revaluation is likely involved as well; South Africa spans about 20% across 2 years.
| Source | Nigeria | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $1,5562026 | $7,5032026 |
| World Bank | $1,2242025 | $6,5982025 |
| United Nations | $1,0832024 | $6,2672024 |
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. Nigeria spans about 44% across 2 years, wide enough that a rebasing or currency revaluation is likely involved as well; South Africa spans about 20% across 2 years.
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.
NigeriaSouth Africa