Ilesa Population 2026

Ilesa has a population of 325,000, making it the #47 biggest city in 🇳🇬 Nigeria, located in Osun State. Roughly 0.1% of Nigeria's population lives here. It is about 47× smaller than Lagos, the country's biggest city.

Location of Ilesa (capital Abuja shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

325,000

Rank in Nigeria

#47

Coordinates

7.63°N, 4.74°E

~377 m elevation · Africa/Lagos

Distance to capital (Abuja)

342 km

212 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Osun State

City	Population	Rank in Nigeria
Osogbo	645,000	#23
Ile-Ife	560,000	#24
Iwo	250,443	#56
Ikire	222,160	#62
Ila Orangun	179,192	#70
Inisa	164,161	#75
Ede	159,866	#77
Gbongan	139,485	#81

Cities near Ilesa

Ijebu-Jesa51,730 people · ~10 km away
Efon-Alaaye279,319 people · ~20 km away
Ile-Ife560,000 people · ~26 km away
Osogbo645,000 people · ~26 km away
Ikirun134,240 people · ~33 km away
Aramoko-Ekiti74,491 people · ~34 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Ilesa?

Ilesa has a population of 325,000 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #47 biggest city in Nigeria.

What region is Ilesa in?

Ilesa is located in Osun State, Nigeria.

Is Ilesa the capital of Nigeria?

No, the capital of Nigeria is Abuja, about 342 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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