Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and sixth in the world. The rate of urbanisation in the country is fast rising due to rural urban migration in search for better opportunities in urban areas.
As of 2026, Nigeria has 16 cities with population of over 1 million, making it the only African country with over 10 cities having a threshold of 1 million people.
Here we rank the 10 largest cities in Nigeria by Population in 2026 with brief information about the city, location, history and major economic activities.
Largest Cities in Nigeria by Population.
10. Aba (1,321,630).
Located in Abia State, South Eastern Nigeria, Aba is the chief commercial and industrial hub of the state. The city has metro of 72 km².
The city was founded by the Ngwa clan of the Igbo as a market town. It became a British post during the colonial era. With a railway line crossing through and a railway station established in 1915, the town grew to become one of the most entrepreneurial cities in Nigeria.
Manufacturing especial textiles, shoes, plastics and soap, trade and commerce and handcrafts are the major economic activities Aba city. Ariaria market is the largest market in the city.
9. Nnewi (1,421,790).
Nicknamed the ‘Taiwan of Nigeria’ for its industries, Nnewi city is located in Anambra State, South Eastern Nigeria. The size of the city is 520 km²
The city’s major economic activities are manufacturing industries which include auto parts, cables and etc, trade and commerce.
8. Uyo (1,520,020).
Located in Akwa Ibom State, Niger Delta in Southern Nigeria, Uyo is the state capital of and largest city in the state of Akwa Ibom. The city has metro size of 187 km².
The traditional Ibibio area was selected as a state capital in 1987 when Akwa Ibom state split from Cross River State. The city has since then been growing rapidly with oil wealth said to be among reasons of speedy growth.
Oil and Gas are the cash cow of the city with other major economic activities being education, trade, a steadily growing industrial base and service sector.
7. Onitsha (1,839,880).
Located in Anambra State, South Eastern Nigeria on the Niger river, Onitsha is the commercial hub of Anambra State. The city has metro size of 614 km².
Founded in the 17th century by Benin travelers, the town grew into a busy Igbo trading hub. It was key during colonial era and business started booming after the Nigerian civil war.
City’s major economic activities include commerce, manufacturing and river port services. Onitsha has one of Africa’s largest trade hubs.
6. Benin City (2,120,460).
Located in Edo State, Southern Nigeria, Benin is the state capital of Edo. The metro has size of 1,204 km².
Benin was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Benin which existed from 13th – 19th century. The city is famous for bronze art works and massive walls.
The city’s major economic activities are agriculture especially rubber growing and processing, trade, manufacturing, oil services and education.
5. Port Harcourt (3,951,670).
Located in Rivers State in the Niger Delta, Southern Nigeria, Port Harcourt is a port and state capital of Rivers State. The metro occupies land size of 369 km².
The city was founded as a colonial port for exporting coal in 1912. The city however boomed after the discovery of oil in 1950s. The city earned the nickname ‘Garden City’ due to its greenery and avenues.
Major economic activities of Port Harcourt include port trade and handling services, manufacturing especially aluminum glass and services. The city is a major hub for Oil and Gas – the cash cow of the city with refineries.
Rivers State University, University of Port Harcourt, Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic, Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Ignatius Ajuru University, Rivers State College of Health Science and Technology, Madonna University, PAMO University of Medical Sciences and National Open University of Nigeria are some of the major institutions of learning in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
4. Ibadan (4,293,160).
Located in Oyo State, South Western Nigeria, Ibadan is a city and state capital. The city’s metro occupies 3,000 + km², one of the largest in Africa by size.
Founded as a war camp in the mid-19th century, the city grew to become the largest city in the colonial West Africa. The city works as the centre for Yoruba Culture and academia.
Major economic activities in Ibadan include trade, agriculture, manufacturing and services. The city is a home to University of Ibadan, which is one of the largest Universities in Nigeria.
3. Abuja (4,392,360).
Abuja is the Federal Capital of Nigeria. Located in Central Nigeria, the city occupies a planned city area of 1,769 km².
Planned and built in the 1980s as a neutral capital to replace Lagos. Ever since the city was designated the capital in the 1991, the city has been growing at the fastest speed.
The city’s main economic activities are Government/administration, which is the reason for its fast growth, emerging tech, services, construction, trade and finance.
2. Kano (4,810,810).
Located in Kano State, Northern Nigeria, Kano is the is the second largest city in Nigeria by population. The total land of metro is around 500 km² considering the total built up area.
As an ancient Hausa city state, Kano became an important trading centre in the Trans Saharan Trade which flourished between the 8th to 19th centuries. The area would come under the administration of Britain after a conquest in 1903 beginning the era of imperialism. After independence, the city has remained key cultural and commercial hub in Northern Nigeria and is the state capital of Kano State.
Major economic activities in the city are trade, agriculture (peanuts, cotton), textiles, leather, and manufacturing.
1. Lagos (17,803,700).
Lagos is the largest city and economic capital of Nigeria. The former capital city, Lagos is located in South West coastal of Nigeria. The Metro has area of 1231km² which is highly urbanised and densely populated. It is the third largest city in Africa by Population after Cairo and Kinshasa.
Founded as a fishing village, the population grew under the Portuguese influence between 15th-19th centuries when Portuguese dominated trade on West and East African coasts and was a major British colonial port with population exploding after Independence due to its role as the capital of the country and economic centre.
Lagos is the main cultural centre of Nigeria, the home of Nollywood Africa’s largest movie industry. Major economic activities include trade and commerce, finance, entertainment, tech, ports facilities, manufacturing, oil-related services. It is Nigeria’s economic powerhouse.
With all this said, Nigeria, just most other sub-Saharan countries highly urbanizing. The population of the cities will keep growing and soon more cities will join the rank of having 1 million plus. The cities are hotspots of innovation and major cities like Lagos, Ibadan and Kano have played a great role in the economy of Nigeria, to make them rightly deserve the title “Giants of Africa”.
