₦airaland Forum

kettykin:
This was the controversial 1963 census that set Nigeria on a path and trajectory of no return. If you want accurate census check the census before 1940, and you can use the right census toll to extrapolate for 2026

lawani:
Igbos have returned home to build their land as Enugu, Owerri, Onitsha and Aba are now more populated than any city in Yoruba land apart from Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin and Akure. According to the number of hotels and bank branches as available online. All those Eastern cities are about the same size now by number of hotels and bank branches but they are individually like half of Ibadan.

lawani:
Igbos have returned home to build their land as Enugu, Owerri, Onitsha and Aba are now more populated than any city in Yoruba land apart from Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin and Akure. According to the number of hotels and bank branches as available online. All those Eastern cities are about the same size now by number of hotels and bank branches but they are individually like half of Ibadan.

Walezy2020:
One of the reason we have high unemployment rate increased is because our population increased but most industries we had then had fold up

lawani:
Igbos have returned home to build their land as Enugu, Owerri, Onitsha and Aba are now more populated than any city in Yoruba land apart from Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin and Akure. According to the number of hotels and bank branches as available online. All those Eastern cities are about the same size now by number of hotels and bank branches but they are individually like half of Ibadan.

Ayo8:
Is lagos different from Mushin..shomolu ikorodu..etc.?? Shouldn't they be inclusive in the lagos figures

AntiTerrorist:
Do you have reliable data source to support your last paragraph?

Basic123:
Lagos alone is like cities

1.Ikeja
2.Lagos
3.Lekki
4.V.I/Ikoyi
5.Akure


Ibadan alone is like 3 cities

math2001:
1963 owerri most been a village.
They two state do. Ondo and edo state

Walezy2020:
One of the reason we have high unemployment rate increased is because our population increased but most industries we had then had fold up

callmeDDD:
Lol. Na wa oo. People won't give up so easy .
Current form: I don't know where people always see their data from. Onitsha has population than Kano or what am I reading up there? Do we even need to argue about this?

This is Chatgpt:

Here are 10 major cities in Nigeria by population (based on widely accepted metro/urban estimates):


---

🇳🇬 Top 10 Cities in Nigeria (by Population)

1. Lagos
– ~15–20 million
– Nigeria’s largest city and economic powerhouse


2. Kano
– ~4–5 million
– Major commercial hub in the north


3. Ibadan
– ~3–4 million
– One of the largest cities by land area in Africa


4. Abuja
– ~3 million
– Capital city, fast-growing urban center


5. Port Harcourt
– ~2–3 million
– Oil and gas hub of the Niger Delta


6. Benin City
– ~1.5–2 million
– Historic city and regional economic center


7. Kaduna
– ~1.5–2 million
– Important industrial and military base


8. Onitsha
– ~1.5–2 million
– Home to one of Africa’s largest markets


9. Aba
– ~1–1.5 million
– Known for manufacturing and trade


10. Ilorin
– ~1 million
– Growing educational and administrative hub




---

Quick insight

Lagos alone is larger than some countries in population.

Northern cities like Kano grow fast due to trade and migration.

Southern cities like Onitsha and Aba dominate in commerce and entrepreneurship.



---

If you want, I can break this down into fastest-growing cities, richest cities, or best cities for business in Nigeria—those are more useful if you're thinking opportunities.

This is Claude:

Here are the **16 Nigerian cities with over 1 million people (2026 estimates)**:

Here are all **16 Nigerian cities with over 1 million people (2026 estimates):**

| # | City | Est. Population | State |
|---|------|----------------|-------|
| 1 | **Lagos** | 17,803,700 | Lagos |
| 2 | **Kano** | ~3,600,000 | Kano |
| 3 | **Ibadan** | ~3,500,000 | Oyo |
| 4 | **Abuja** | ~3,000,000 | FCT |
| 5 | **Port Harcourt** | ~2,300,000 | Rivers |
| 6 | **Benin City** | ~1,800,000 | Edo |
| 7 | **Maiduguri** | ~1,500,000 | Borno |
| 8 | **Zaria** | ~1,400,000 | Kaduna |
| 9 | **Aba** | ~1,300,000 | Abia |
| 10 | **Jos** | ~1,200,000 | Plateau |
| 11 | **Ilorin** | ~1,100,000 | Kwara |
| 12 | **Ogun** | ~1,090,000 | Ogun |
| 13 | **Enugu** | ~1,060,000 | Enugu |
| 14 | **Abeokuta** | ~1,040,000 | Ogun |
| 15 | **Onitsha** | ~1,020,000 | Anambra |
| 16 | **Warri** | ~1,000,000 | Delta |

> ⚠️ **Note:** Nigeria's last official census was conducted in 2006, so all current figures are projections and estimates [Traders Union](https://tradersunion.com/ratings/prop/common/with-ea/) — numbers vary depending on the source. Lagos alone has grown by over 647,000 people in the last year, a 3.77% annual change, making it one of the fastest-growing megacities in the world. [Contego](https://contego.agency/blog/best-prop-firms-for-forex-eas/)

lawani:
Igbos have returned home to build their land as Enugu, Owerri, Onitsha and Aba are now more populated than any city in Yoruba land apart from Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin and Akure. According to the number of hotels and bank branches as available online.

All those Eastern cities are about the same size now by number of hotels and bank branches but they are individually like half of Ibadan.

Basic123:
Lagos alone is like cities

1.Ikeja
2.Lagos
3.Lekki
4.V.I/Ikoyi
5.Akure


Ibadan alone is like 3 cities

obonujoker:
Liveability indicators
1 — 🥷Stability
2 — 🏥Healthcare
3 — 🪘Culture & Environment
4 — 📚Education
5 — 🚧Infrastructure

2024 LEAST LIVEABLE CITIES

TOP 10
1 🇸🇾Damascus, Syria
2 🇱🇾Trioli, Libya
3 🇩🇿Algiers, Algeria
4 🇳🇬Lagos, Nigeria
5 🇵🇰Karachi, Pakistan
6 🇧🇩Dhaka, Bangladesh
7 🇿🇼Harare, Zimbabwe
8 🇵🇬Port Moresby, Papua N Guinea
9 🇺🇦Kyiv, Ukraine
10 🇻🇪Caracas, Venezuela

#Statisense
(The Economist)

A 45-year-old resident and father of three, Mr.Fatai Lamide told PUNCH HealthWise that no building in the community has toilet facilities.

The Oyo State-born mechanic said, “We don’t have toilet in this area, including our compound. This canal that you see serves as toilet to all of us living in this area. We defecate inside nylon and throw it inside the canal.

“For people that don’t want to use nylon, they have a special bucket that they use after which they pour it inside the canal too.

https://punchng.com/cholera-outbreak-looms-in-lagos-communities-as-residents-use-canal-lagoon-as-toilet/

anonimi:
A smelly city despite Tinubu forever ♾️ increasing tax burden on people?

What can be the joy of an ọmọlúwàbí in this Ọlanrẹyin situation


Anonimi it is local government responsibilities to carry waste bin

anonimi:
A smelly city despite Tinubu forever ♾️ increasing tax burden on people?

What can be the joy of an ọmọlúwàbí in this Ọlanrẹyin situation

math2001:
it is local government responsibilities to carry waste bin

VinnyBaba:
You are very WRONG.😒

The Govt in power was Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa NPC
which colluded with SL Akintola of the West to perpetuate evils in the country.
The Igbos were onlookers during this era.😕

Akintola and Tafawa Balewa must have Manipulated the figures.🤔

And dat's why they were targeted by the coupists and killed.

See Ilorin, Ogbomosho having such huge Population.😏