Nigeria vs South Africa: Merchandise exports by the reporting economy (current US$), per

Nigeria
69,102 current US$ per square kilometre
in 2023
South Africa
85,191 current US$ per square kilometre
in 2023
Nigeria rank
111th
South Africa rank
108th

Merchandise exports by the reporting economy (current US$), per over time

  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
050.0k100.0k150.0k196119922023

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 85,191 current US$ per square kilometre against 69,102 current US$ per square kilometre in Nigeria, a difference of 16,089 current US$ per square kilometre.

That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Nigeria's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 26 shared years of data; in 1998 it was South Africa ahead.

Nigeria ranks 111th and South Africa ranks 108th of 204 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, Nigeria averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Nigeria South Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 13,413 current US$ per square kilometre 16,430 current US$ per square kilometre 3,016 current US$ per square kilometre South Africa
2000s 65,369 current US$ per square kilometre 35,091 current US$ per square kilometre 30,278 current US$ per square kilometre Nigeria
2010s 94,872 current US$ per square kilometre 69,680 current US$ per square kilometre 25,192 current US$ per square kilometre Nigeria
2020s 62,971 current US$ per square kilometre 85,068 current US$ per square kilometre 22,098 current US$ per square kilometre South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher merchandise exports by the reporting economy (current us$), per, Nigeria or South Africa?
South Africa, at 85,191 current US$ per square kilometre against 69,102 current US$ per square kilometre in Nigeria as of 2023.
What is the difference in merchandise exports by the reporting economy (current us$), per between Nigeria and South Africa?
16,089 current US$ per square kilometre, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and South Africa?
26 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2023.
How do Nigeria and South Africa rank globally for merchandise exports by the reporting economy (current us$), per?
Nigeria ranks 111th and South Africa ranks 108th of 204 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Merchandise exports by the reporting economy (current US$), per square kilometre. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Nigeria vs South Africa: Merchandise exports by the reporting economy (current US$), per. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://private-sector.statizoid.com/compare/merchandise-exports-by-the-reporting-economy-current-us-per-square-kilometre/nigeria/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Merchandise exports by the reporting economy (current US$), per square kilometre
Unit
current US$ per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
251 places, 13,220 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

Merchandise exports by the reporting economy (current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.