Niger population pyramid 2026
28,814,878 people in 2026 (projected). Niger’s pyramid is one of the widest-based in the world, shaped by decades of fertility near seven to eight children and very early childbearing.
- 2026 population
- 28.8Mrank 53 of 237
- Median age
- 15.7 yearsoldest rank 234
- Fertility rate
- 5.64births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful2.6% age 65+
Niger population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
Download this population pyramid
Use the publication-ready SVG, create a high-resolution PNG, or download the complete age-by-sex dataset.
The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Niger age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 45.8% of the population, while 2.6% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 51.5% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Niger’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 94.1: about 94 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (89.0 children and 5.1 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Niger’s population pyramid
Fertility near the biological high end
For several decades Niger recorded the highest fertility in the world, with the UN estimating close to eight children per woman as late as 2000. The 2000 Niger pyramid shows the result: about a fifth of the population was under five, and the 0–4 band was more than a third wider than the 5–9 band. Rising child survival meant that more of each large birth cohort lived into later childhood, so the base widened faster than the rest of the pyramid.
Two features of family life help explain the steepness. Niger has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, according to UNICEF, and first births typically come at young ages. When childbearing starts early, generations follow each other more quickly, which adds to growth even at a given number of children per woman. Surveys have also found that desired family size in Niger is unusually large, so high fertility reflects preferences as well as limited access to contraception.
A triangle that is only beginning to change
The 2026 pyramid remains a steep triangle. About 46% of the population is under 15, among the highest child population shares of any country, and the 0–4 band, children born in 2022–26, is about 16% wider than the 5–9 band. There are no notches or bulges of note; drought and food crises have recurred, but their demographic effects are not visible at the scale of five-year bands. The UN medium scenario assumes fertility is now falling, to about 5.6 children per woman in 2026, though this figure is a projection built on limited recent survey data.
Even with that decline, the young age structure guarantees decades of growth through population momentum: the girls under 15 today will become a much larger generation of mothers than the one before them. Niger is consistently among the fastest-growing populations, and neighboring Chad now has even higher projected fertility.
Under the UN medium scenario Niger grows from about 29 million in 2026 to roughly 53 million by 2050, while the median age rises only from about 16 to 21.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Niger’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Niger is projected to record 1,157,021 births (about one birth every 27 seconds) and 243,202 deaths, a natural increase of 913,819. Net migration adds −10,620 people, ranking #126 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 20,320,712 births, 4,947,180 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −89,604. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −506,613 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 62.9 years36.2 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 60.9 years35.5 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 13.0 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 61.0per 1,000 births · 125 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 109.5per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 29.1 yearssex ratio at birth 104.0
Women in Niger are projected to live 2.0 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 125 to 61.0 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #8 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 29.1 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Niger
The median age of 15.7 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 5.64 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 61.9 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,814,878 | #53 | Largest first |
| Median age | 15.7 years | #234 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 5.64 | #5 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +3.1% | #3 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 61.9 years | #227 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 2.6% | #225 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Niger
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 5,028,204 | 17.5% | 2.6M / 2.5M |
| 2 | 5–9 | 4,321,444 | 15.0% | 2.2M / 2.1M |
| 3 | 10–14 | 3,859,694 | 13.4% | 2M / 1.9M |
| 4 | 15–19 | 3,290,924 | 11.4% | 1.7M / 1.6M |
| 5 | 20–24 | 2,688,265 | 9.3% | 1.4M / 1.3M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Niger has 14,630,028 males and 14,184,850 females. That is 103.1 males per 100 females, ranking #37 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 50.8% of the population and females for 49.2%. There are 445,178 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 88.8 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 104.0 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Niger has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 2,597,810 in 1950 to 28,814,878 in 2026, a change of 1009%. Over the same span, median age moved from 14.0 to 15.7 years.
The under-15 share changed from 50.1% to 45.8%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 0.9% to 2.6%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Niger population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Niger’s population is projected to grow by about 82%, reaching 52,513,876 in 2050. The median age changes from 15.7 to 21.2 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 0.9 percentage points to 3.5%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 35.0%. The Niger population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 90,819,274. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,597,810 | 14.0 | 7.56 | 35.9 | 152,302 | 72,124 | +6,662 | +3.3% |
| 1960 | 3,505,050 | 14.4 | 7.53 | 36.2 | 201,935 | 96,855 | −3,641 | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 4,650,275 | 14.8 | 7.51 | 35.9 | 258,466 | 130,284 | −2,225 | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 6,135,971 | 15.3 | 7.78 | 39.3 | 346,930 | 157,678 | −5,564 | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 8,286,060 | 15.4 | 7.81 | 41.7 | 456,507 | 199,913 | +73 | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 11,509,630 | 15.2 | 7.83 | 49.2 | 614,503 | 203,720 | −8,522 | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 16,548,835 | 14.3 | 7.64 | 57.1 | 816,735 | 192,043 | −8,033 | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 23,717,613 | 14.8 | 6.37 | 59.9 | 1,010,377 | 225,945 | −4,402 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 26,159,867 | 15.2 | 6.06 | 61.2 | 1,095,892 | 231,746 | +995 | +3.3% |
| 2024* | 27,032,412 | 15.4 | 5.94 | 61.4 | 1,119,695 | 235,707 | −4,041 | +3.3% |
| 2026* | 28,814,878 | 15.7 | 5.64 | 61.9 | 1,157,021 | 243,202 | −10,620 | +3.1% |
| 2030* | 32,518,075 | 16.4 | 5.08 | 62.8 | 1,220,547 | 255,773 | −16,568 | +2.9% |
| 2040* | 42,316,740 | 18.6 | 3.91 | 64.8 | 1,310,439 | 286,859 | −22,815 | +2.4% |
| 2050* | 52,513,876 | 21.2 | 3.22 | 66.5 | 1,387,660 | 330,521 | −25,319 | +2.0% |
| 2060* | 62,724,334 | 24.0 | 2.77 | 68.0 | 1,418,379 | 395,471 | −29,459 | +1.6% |
| 2070* | 72,166,391 | 26.9 | 2.47 | 69.4 | 1,404,489 | 490,810 | −31,860 | +1.2% |
| 2080* | 80,226,968 | 29.6 | 2.26 | 70.6 | 1,377,076 | 620,870 | −31,901 | +0.9% |
| 2090* | 86,498,189 | 32.2 | 2.11 | 71.9 | 1,331,385 | 767,661 | −35,177 | +0.6% |
| 2100* | 90,819,274 | 34.5 | 2.01 | 73.1 | 1,275,623 | 900,176 | −36,886 | +0.4% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 2,552,672 | 2,475,532 | 5,028,204 | 17.5% |
| 5–9 | 2,195,983 | 2,125,461 | 4,321,444 | 15.0% |
| 10–14 | 1,963,321 | 1,896,373 | 3,859,694 | 13.4% |
| 15–19 | 1,675,460 | 1,615,464 | 3,290,924 | 11.4% |
| 20–24 | 1,369,163 | 1,319,102 | 2,688,265 | 9.3% |
| 25–29 | 1,093,429 | 1,051,401 | 2,144,830 | 7.4% |
| 30–34 | 852,293 | 817,402 | 1,669,695 | 5.8% |
| 35–39 | 676,217 | 646,860 | 1,323,077 | 4.6% |
| 40–44 | 558,989 | 532,434 | 1,091,423 | 3.8% |
| 45–49 | 458,080 | 436,137 | 894,217 | 3.1% |
| 50–54 | 361,673 | 350,248 | 711,921 | 2.5% |
| 55–59 | 288,118 | 285,418 | 573,536 | 2.0% |
| 60–64 | 226,496 | 229,869 | 456,365 | 1.6% |
| 65–69 | 164,928 | 173,012 | 337,940 | 1.2% |
| 70–74 | 107,752 | 117,435 | 225,187 | 0.8% |
| 75–79 | 56,608 | 68,424 | 125,032 | 0.4% |
| 80–84 | 22,390 | 33,608 | 55,998 | 0.2% |
| 85–89 | 5,728 | 9,273 | 15,001 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 694 | 1,318 | 2,012 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 33 | 77 | 110 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Niger’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Mali99% overlap · median age 15.9
- Somalia98% overlap · median age 15.6
- Democratic Republic of the Congo98% overlap · median age 15.9
- Chad98% overlap · median age 15.7
- Mozambique97% overlap · median age 16.6
- Angola96% overlap · median age 16.7
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Niger.
Use this chart in your work
Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
Embed the population pyramid
Cite this page
APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Niger Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/niger/
MLA
“Niger Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/niger/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Niger Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/niger/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Niger in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Niger's population in 2026 is projected at 28,814,878.
What is the median age in Niger?
The projected median age in Niger in 2026 is 15.7 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Niger?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 5.64 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Niger's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 82%, from 28.8M to 52.5M.
What share of Niger is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 2.6% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 3.5%.
How many babies are born in Niger each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 1,157,021 births and 243,202 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 27 seconds. Births exceed deaths by 913,819.
What is life expectancy in Niger for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 62.9 years for women and 60.9 years for men, a gap of 2.0 years in favour of women.
Does Niger have more immigrants or emigrants?
Niger is projected to lose about 10,620 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −89,604.
What is the sex ratio in Niger?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 103.1 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.