Migrant remittance inflows (% of GDP) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Migrant remittance inflows (% of GDP) was 8.5% in 2011. ◆ Volatile
Migrant remittance inflows in Nigeria, 1977–2011
Source: World Bank staff estimates based on the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook 2008, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 8.5% for migrant remittance inflows in 2011.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and up 247.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, migrant remittance inflows in Nigeria peaked at 13.0% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1978.
Nigeria ranks 7th of 50 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Migrant remittance inflows (% of GDP) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 0.1% | — |
| 1978 | 0.0% | -84.6% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | +103.2% |
| 1980 | 0.0% | +95.2% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -21.0% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | +32.5% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | +10.3% |
| 1984 | 0.0% | +5.5% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -14.9% |
| 1986 | 0.0% | -44.3% |
| 1987 | 0.0% | -40.8% |
| 1988 | 0.0% | -9.2% |
| 1989 | 0.0% | +302.5% |
| 1990 | 0.0% | -17.7% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | +582.7% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | -28.1% |
| 1993 | 3.7% | +2052.5% |
| 1994 | 2.3% | -37.4% |
| 1995 | 2.9% | +23.0% |
| 1996 | 2.7% | -6.2% |
| 1997 | 5.3% | +97.7% |
| 1998 | 4.9% | -7.6% |
| 1999 | 3.7% | -23.6% |
| 2000 | 3.0% | -19.1% |
| 2001 | 2.4% | -19.7% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | -15.9% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | -23.2% |
| 2004 | 2.6% | +64.7% |
| 2005 | 13.0% | +404.1% |
| 2006 | 11.6% | -10.7% |
| 2007 | 10.9% | -6.8% |
| 2008 | 9.3% | -14.6% |
| 2009 | 10.9% | +17.5% |
| 2010 | 8.7% | -20.4% |
| 2011 | 8.5% | -2.5% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 8.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.0%, 4.1× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 8.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.7%, 5.1× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Migrant remittance inflows (% of GDP) in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +2052.5% | 0.2% | 3.7% |
| 1991 | +582.7% | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| 2005 | +404.1% | 2.6% | 13.0% |
| 1989 | +302.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.6% | 0.0% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.7% | 1.6% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.6% | 8.5% | 8.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More trade data for Nigeria
- Commodity Net Export Price Index, Individual Commodities Weighted by 66.76 (2025)
- Commodity Net Export Price Index, Individual Commodities Weighted by 93.8 (2025)
- Commodity Export Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 93.58 (2025)
- Commodity Export Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 63.43 (2025)
- Commodity Import Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 99.77 (2025)
- Commodity Import Price Index, Individual Commodites Weighted by Ratio 85.81 (2025)
- Imports of low carbon technology products, Percent of GDP 0.5627 (2024)
- Imports of low carbon technology products, US dollar (World), per 6.1 units per person (2024)
- Imports of low carbon technology products, US dollar (World), per 0.0056 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Exports of low carbon technology products, US dollar (World), gaps 42.54 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is migrant remittance inflows in Nigeria?
- Migrant remittance inflows in Nigeria was 8.5% in 2011, according to World Bank staff estimates based on the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook 2008, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates.
- What is the highest migrant remittance inflows recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 13.0% in 2005.
- What is the lowest migrant remittance inflows recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1978.
- How does Nigeria rank for migrant remittance inflows?
- Nigeria ranks 7th out of 50 countries with data for 2011.
- Is migrant remittance inflows rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 247.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank staff estimates based on the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook 2008, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates, published as part of Migrant remittance inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Migrants’ remittances are defined as the sum of worker’s remittances,