Freedom of Expression Score in Nigeria
Nigeria: Freedom of Expression Score was 5 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Freedom of Expression Score in Nigeria, 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 5 for freedom of expression score in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is down 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression score in Nigeria peaked at 7 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 5, in 2021.
Nigeria ranks 49th of 128 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.67 | 6 | 7 | 3 |
| 2010s | 6.4 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| 2020s | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More social development data for Nigeria
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 123,848 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 478,150 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 2 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.311 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
- Human Rights Index 0.674 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.323 (2025)
- Key features of human rights 0.674 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom of expression score in Nigeria?
- Freedom of expression score in Nigeria was 5 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression score recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 7 in 2005.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression score recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 5 in 2021.
- How does Nigeria rank for freedom of expression score?
- Nigeria ranks 49th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression score rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Indicates the extent to which individuals, groups, and the press can express their views free from government interference.