Nigeria Income Share Top 10%
Income share held by highest 10% SI.DST.10TH.10
Nigeria's income share top 10% was 26.39% in 2025, ranked 39th globally. This represents a 0.3% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1985–2025.
Overview
Nigeria's income share top 10% stood at 26.39% in 2025, a rise of +0.09pp from 2022. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 26.39% by 2025. Nigeria ranked 39th globally.
Nigeria’s share of national income captured by the top 10 % of earners fell to 26.39 % in 2025, placing the country 39th in the world and just below peers such as Greece (26.40 %) and Georgia (26.35 %). This level is marginally lower than the all‑time trough of 26.30 % recorded in 2022, yet it remains far beneath the all‑time peak of 40.70 % reached in 1996, when the country’s economy was still heavily dependent on oil revenues and inequality was amplified by volatile export earnings. The decline from the 1996 high reflects a gradual redistribution of income through modest growth in lower‑income sectors and demographic shifts, but the persistence of a share above 25 % signals entrenched concentration of wealth. Over the next decade, sustained diversification away from oil, improvements in tax administration and expanded social protection could further compress the top‑decile share, while setbacks in fiscal policy or commodity shocks could reverse the modest downward trend.
Data & projection
| Year | Income Share Top 10% | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* trend | 26.39% | - | - |
| 2025 | 26.39% | +0.09pp | #39 |
| 2022 | 26.30% | −0.40pp | #37 |
| 2018 | 26.70% | −0.20pp | #46 |
| 2015 | 26.90% | +0.30pp | #43 |
| 2012 | 26.60% | −0.10pp | #44 |
| 2010 | 26.70% | −3.10pp | #47 |
| 2003 | 29.80% | −10.90pp | #41 |
| 1996 | 40.70% | +9.40pp | #36 |
| 1992 | 31.30% | +3.10pp | #24 |
| 1985 | 28.20% | – | #11 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Nigeria matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw income share top 10% improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Nigeria's income share top 10% was 26.39% in 2025. Ranked 39th globally. This represents a 0.3% increase from the previous year.
Nigeria's income share top 10% peaked at 40.70% in 1996.
The lowest income share top 10% in Nigeria was 26.30% in 2022.
Nigeria ranks 39th globally in income share top 10% as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SI.DST.10TH.10. Data sourced from World Bank.
Nigeria's income share top 10% is projected to reach 26.39% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The income share top 10% of Nigeria in 2025 was 26.39%. This ranks 39th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_nigeria_income-top-10,
title = {Nigeria Income Share Top 10%},
url = {https://historysaid.com/nigeria/income-top-10/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}