Abuja, April 14, 2026 — The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that 3,381,228 people were recorded as internally displaced across 14 states in Nigeria in 2023.
The figure was contained in the 2023 Demographic Bulletin released on Tuesday in Abuja, a publication that compiles data from administrative records and survey findings to guide planning, policy development, and research.
According to the report, Borno State recorded the highest proportion of internally displaced persons (IDPs), accounting for 50.62 per cent or 1,711,481 individuals. It was followed by Benue State with 11.67 per cent (394,567) and Katsina State with 7.23 per cent (244,380).
At the lower end of the distribution, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Kano recorded the smallest shares, representing 1.55 per cent (52,383), 0.61 per cent (20,580), and 0.46 per cent (15,549) respectively.
The publication also estimated Nigeria’s population at 221,250,127 in 2023, with males numbering 112,434,239 and females 108,815,888. At the state level, Kano emerged as the most populous with 15,671,491 residents, followed by Lagos with 13,710,862 and Katsina with 10,661,373, while Nasarawa and Bayelsa were among the least populated states with 2,948,849 and 2,583,352 respectively.
On health indicators, the report showed that maternal-related conditions accounted for the largest share of health expenditure in 2022, making up 50.22 per cent of capital spending and 52.46 per cent of recurrent expenditure.
Findings from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) indicated improvements in maternal healthcare utilisation. The proportion of women who received antenatal care from skilled providers rose from 50 per cent in 2011 to 67 per cent in 2018, before declining slightly to 63 per cent in 2021.
The report further noted that Anambra State recorded the lowest rate of unmet need for birth spacing at 3.8 per cent, indicating relatively better access to family planning services compared to other states.
It also revealed that data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed the United Kingdom remained the leading source of inward remittances to Nigeria in 2023, contributing 12.38 billion dollars, slightly below the 12.76 billion dollars recorded in 2022. The United States, meanwhile, accounted for the highest outward remittance flow at 13.12 million dollars in 2022.
In addition, the bulletin documented 968 cases of human trafficking in 2023, covering both domestic and international incidents. Cases linked to prostitution abroad topped the list with 173 incidents, followed by procurement for sexual exploitation with 120 cases, and buying or selling of persons for exploitation with 102 cases.
Labour market data from the National Electronic Labour Exchange (NELEX) showed steady growth in private sector job postings, rising from 90 in 2021 to 104 in 2022 and 150 in 2023. The report also noted an increase in registered employers on the platform, while confirming that no federal government job vacancies were advertised during the period under review.
The bulletin concluded that the data highlights key demographic, economic, and social trends essential for national planning and development.