Is TOEFL Harder Than IELTS? Honest Comparison for Nigerian Students

[AbdulBasit Odurinde]

This is one of the most common questions Nigerian students ask before choosing their English proficiency test. The honest answer is neither is harder than the other. Neither test is inherently easier nor harder. They differ in structure, content, and scoring. What makes one feel harder than the other depends entirely on you, your strengths, your study background, and the format you are most comfortable with.

Here is what you actually need to know to make the right choice.

The Key Differences

TOEFL lasts about two hours with mainly multiple-choice questions based on academic content. IELTS lasts about two hours and forty-five minutes with more varied question types including short answers, sentence completion, and matching.

The biggest practical difference for most Nigerian students is the Speaking section. In TOEFL, the Speaking section is conducted via computer, where you respond to prompts by speaking into a microphone. In IELTS, the Speaking section involves a face-to-face interview with a real examiner. Many Nigerian students find speaking to a real person more natural which gives TOEFL an edge for those who get nervous speaking into a machine.

Which Is Harder for Reading?

The Reading section in IELTS is considered much easier than that of TOEFL. TOEFL reading passages come from academic textbooks and academic publications, which can include technical vocabulary and complex sentence structures. If reading dense academic English is not yet your strength, TOEFL Reading will feel noticeably harder.

Which Is Harder for Writing?

The TOEFL essay features “integrated” tasks (e.g., listening to a lecture and writing a summary of it). It’s also 300 words longer compared to the 250-word essay in IELTS. IELTS also requires you to describe charts/graphs and write an opinion essay.

What About Academic Language?

TOEFL uses strong academic language in reading and listening, which can feel challenging for students not used to university-level lectures. IELTS uses more general English but still expects a clear understanding of context. For Nigerian students whose English training has been more conversational than academic, TOEFL’s language level can feel like a steeper climb.

So Which Should a Nigerian Student Choose?

Choose TOEFL if: you are comfortable with computers, multiple-choice questions, and American English, and your target universities are in the USA or Canada.

Choose IELTS if: you prefer a face-to-face speaking test, varied question formats, and plan to study or migrate to the UK, Australia, or Canada long term.

In 2026, most universities globally accept both IELTS and TOEFL equally. The better option depends on your program requirements and your comfort with the exam format.

The exam that fits you best is the one you will prepare for most effectively and that is the one you should choose.

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