National Blindness Prevalence (All Ages)

The national blindness rate in Nigeria was estimated at about 0.78 % of the total population, meaning nearly 8 out of every 1,000 Nigerians are blind. This comes from the Nigeria Blindness and Vision Impairment Survey and government reports.  

Blindness in Adults (40 Years +)

• Among Nigerians aged 40 and above:

• ~1.13 million people are blind (about 4.2 % of this age group).  

• A total of ~4.25 million adults (≥ 40) are estimated to be visually impaired or blind.  

 Visual Impairment (Broader than Blindness)

• “Visual impairment” includes moderate or severe vision loss (not just full blindness). Surveys estimate ~4+ million Nigerians fall into this category.  

Geographic Differences

• The Northern regions of Nigeria, especially the North-East and North-West geopolitical zones, have higher blindness prevalence than the southern parts.  

• Historically, older national survey data showed the North East with the highest recorded prevalence of blindness among zones.  

Age and Other Factors

• Blindness increases with age, much more common in older adults than in children or younger adults.  

• Illiteracy and poverty are strongly associated with higher rates of blindness.  

 What This Means

• Blindness affects a significant number of Nigerians, especially in older adults.

• Many cases are due to treatable or preventable conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and uncorrected refractive errors.  

• National planning often relies on older survey data (from 2005–2007) because more recent comprehensive national surveys haven’t been completed yet.