Onitsha Population 2026

Onitsha has a population of 1,553,000, making it the #8 biggest city in 🇳🇬 Nigeria, located in Anambra. Roughly 0.6% of Nigeria's population lives here. It is about 9.9× smaller than Lagos, the country's biggest city.

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

Population (city proper)

1,553,000

Rank in Nigeria

Coordinates

6.15°N, 6.79°E

~57 m elevation · Africa/Lagos

Distance to capital (Abuja)

333 km

207 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Anambra

City	Population	Rank in Nigeria
Atani	230,000	#58
Nnewi	193,987	#67
Awka	167,738	#73
Nkpor	103,733	#107
Ihiala	83,265	#129
Agulu	79,021	#137
Igbo-Ukwu	75,224	#142
Ozubulu	73,812	#145

Cities near Onitsha

Nkpor103,733 people · ~5 km away
Asaba73,374 people · ~8 km away
Atani230,000 people · ~16 km away
Nnewi193,987 people · ~21 km away
Ozubulu73,812 people · ~23 km away
Enugu-Ukwu68,785 people · ~24 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Onitsha?

Onitsha has a population of 1,553,000 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #8 biggest city in Nigeria.

What region is Onitsha in?

Onitsha is located in Anambra, Nigeria.

Is Onitsha the capital of Nigeria?

No, the capital of Nigeria is Abuja, about 333 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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