Annual patent applications per million people in Nigeria
Nigeria: Annual patent applications per million people was 1.92 applications per million people in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
1.92 applications per million people
Change on year
down 8.6%
World rank
106th
of 135 countries
All-time high
2.1 applications per million people
in 2019
All-time low
0.1178 applications per million people
in 1985
Years of data
10
1985–2020
Annual patent applications per million people in Nigeria, 1985–2020
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World i. Measured in applications per million people.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 1.92 applications per million people for annual patent applications per million people in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.6% on the previous year and up 413.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications per million people in Nigeria peaked at 2.1 applications per million people in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.1178 applications per million people, in 1985.
That places Nigeria 106th out of 135 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual patent applications per million people in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | applications per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.1178 applications per million people | — |
| 1990 | 0.1236 applications per million people | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 0.3734 applications per million people | +202.2% |
| 2012 | 0.2384 applications per million people | -36.2% |
| 2013 | 0.2762 applications per million people | +15.9% |
| 2016 | 0.4349 applications per million people | +57.5% |
| 2017 | 0.4994 applications per million people | +14.8% |
| 2018 | 1.86 applications per million people | +273.3% |
| 2019 | 2.1 applications per million people | +12.4% |
| 2020 | 1.92 applications per million people | -8.6% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 1.92 applications per million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.54 applications per million people, 1.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 1.92 applications per million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.9972 applications per million people, 1.9× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.1178 applications per million people | 0.1178 applications per million people | 0.1178 applications per million people | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.1236 applications per million people | 0.1236 applications per million people | 0.1236 applications per million people | 1 |
| 2010s | 0.826 applications per million people | 0.2384 applications per million people | 2.1 applications per million people | 7 |
| 2020s | 1.92 applications per million people | 1.92 applications per million people | 1.92 applications per million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 103 Bahrain 1.99 applications per million people compare
- 104 Ecuador 1.98 applications per million people compare
- 105 Cape Verde 1.94 applications per million people compare
- 107 Cuba 1.89 applications per million people compare
- 108 Pakistan 1.78 applications per million people compare
- 109 Paraguay 1.5 applications per million people compare
More science & technology data for Nigeria
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 70.76 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.7076 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 164.65 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 246.4 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -28.14 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -26.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 9,799 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications per million people in Nigeria?
- Annual patent applications per million people in Nigeria was 1.92 applications per million people in 2020, according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World i.
- What is the highest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 2.1 applications per million people in 2019.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1178 applications per million people in 1985.
- How does Nigeria rank for annual patent applications per million people?
- Nigeria ranks 106th out of 135 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual patent applications per million people rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 413.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World i, published as part of Annual patent applications per million people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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