South Africa vs Nigeria — Country Comparison

The flag of South Africa is composed of two equal horizontal bands of red and blue, with a yellow-edged black isosceles triangle superimposed on the hoist side of the field. This triangle has its base centered on the hoist end, spans about two-fifth the width and two-third the height of the field, and is enclosed on its sides by the arms of a white-edged green horizontally oriented Y-shaped band which extends along the boundary of the red and blue bands to the fly end of the field.South Africa VS The flag of Nigeria is composed of three equal vertical bands of green, white and green.Nigeria

South Africa and Nigeria side by side: South Africa is the larger country (1,221,037 km² vs 923,768 km²), while Nigeria has the bigger population (223.8 million vs 63.1 million). The full comparison table below covers capitals, currencies, languages, dialling codes, timezones and more.

Facts last checked 9 October 2026.

FactSouth AfricaNigeria
CapitalPretoriaAbuja
Population63,100,945223,800,000
Area1,221,037 km²923,768 km²
CurrencySouth African randNigerian naira
LanguagesZulu, Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, XhosaEnglish
Dialling code+27+234
Main timezoneUTC+02:00UTC+01:00
Drives on theLeftRight
RegionSouthern AfricaWestern Africa
Emergency number10111 (police) / 10177 (ambulance)112

Key differences: South Africa vs Nigeria

Want the full picture for each country? See South Africa and Nigeria, or compare their population pages: South Africa · Nigeria.

Visiting South Africa or Nigeria?

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We are also a member of the CJ Affiliate and AWIN affiliate networks. Links below are affiliate links.

AMAZON

South Africa Travel Guide
Plan a trip to South Africa.

Check Price →
AMAZON

Nigeria Travel Guide
Plan a trip to Nigeria.

Check Price →
AMAZON

Scratch Off World Map
Mark off South Africa, Nigeria and everywhere else you have been.

Check Price →

South Africa vs Nigeria — FAQ

Which is bigger, South Africa or Nigeria?

South Africa is bigger by area: 1,221,037 km² vs 923,768 km².

Is South Africa bigger than Nigeria?

Yes — South Africa covers 1,221,037 km², compared to 923,768 km² for Nigeria.

Which has more people, South Africa or Nigeria?

Nigeria has the larger population: 223,800,000 (223.8 million) vs 63,100,945 (63.1 million).

How does the size of South Africa compare to Nigeria?

South Africa (1,221,037 km²) is larger than Nigeria (923,768 km²).

Do South Africa and Nigeria use the same currency?

No — South Africa uses the South African rand and Nigeria uses the Nigerian naira.

Are South Africa and Nigeria on the same continent?

Yes — both are in Africa.

What is the time difference between South Africa and Nigeria?

South Africa is 1 hour ahead of Nigeria (UTC+02:00 vs UTC+01:00), not accounting for daylight saving changes.

Do South Africa and Nigeria share an official language?

Yes — both share English as an official language.

Do South Africa and Nigeria share a border?

No — South Africa and Nigeria do not share a land border.

Which is more densely populated, South Africa or Nigeria?

Nigeria is more densely populated at roughly 242 people per km², compared to 52 for South Africa.

How far is South Africa from Nigeria?

The distance between the geographic centres of South Africa and Nigeria is roughly 4,660 km (2,900 miles) in a straight line. Actual travel distances between cities will differ.

More comparisons

This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Last updated: