Nigeria is the country described by Wikipedia as Africa’s most populous country.
Its population advantage reflects both its large territory and sustained population growth. Nigeria lies on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa and had an estimated population exceeding 242 million in 2026. It is also the world’s sixth-most populous country, behind India, China, the United States, Indonesia and Pakistan in commonly cited rankings.
Nigeria’s population is exceptionally diverse: more than 250 ethnic groups speak over 500 languages. Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo are the largest ethnic groups, while English is the official language. Lagos is the largest city, although Abuja is the national capital.
A common mix-up is confusing population with area or economic size. Algeria is Africa’s largest country by area, while Egypt and South Africa are also major population centers. Nigeria’s ranking is based on the number of people living in the country, not its landmass or density.