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 $334.34B compared to South Africa's $443.64B, making it 1.3x smaller. Nigeria's population is 232.7M vs South Africa's 64.0M. Across 12 key indicators, both countries are evenly matched in categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Nigeria |  South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $334.34B | $443.64B✓ |
| GDP per Capita | $1,378 | $6,835✓ |
| GDP Growth (%) | 4.2%✓ | 1.2% |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $9,861 | $16,283✓ |
| Population | 232.7M✓ | 64.0M |
| Life Expectancy | 54.5 years | 66.1 years✓ |
| Inflation (%) | 22.0% | 3.7%✓ |
| Unemployment (%) | N/A | 32.7% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 35.0%✓ | 79.5% |
| Fertility Rate | 4.5✓ | 2.2 |
| Gini Index | 33.9 | N/A |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 0.6✓ | 6.9 |
Summary
Nigeria has a GDP of $334.34B compared to South Africa's $443.64B, making the latter economy 1.3x larger. In terms of population, Nigeria has 232.7M people while South Africa has 64.0M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Nigeria leads in 5 and South Africa leads in 5.
NigeriaSouth Africa