Number of child deaths by region in Nigeria
Nigeria: Number of child deaths by region was 855,676 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Number of child deaths by region in Nigeria, 1969–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 855,676 for number of child deaths by region in 2024.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of child deaths by region in Nigeria peaked at 991,094 in 1969 and was at its lowest, 677,119, in 1971.
That places Nigeria 1st out of 195 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Number of child deaths by region in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 991,094 | — |
| 1970 | 976,521 | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 677,119 | -30.7% |
| 1972 | 684,379 | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 690,259 | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 696,165 | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 700,474 | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 701,877 | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 703,060 | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 707,540 | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 711,447 | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 716,538 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 723,920 | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 735,018 | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 749,908 | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 764,141 | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 777,645 | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 792,902 | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 807,356 | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 822,086 | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 838,347 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 855,067 | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 870,024 | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 885,925 | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 902,396 | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 917,175 | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 930,476 | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 939,622 | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 941,372 | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 936,826 | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 929,877 | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 923,928 | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 914,965 | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 903,575 | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 892,275 | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 881,220 | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 871,140 | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 862,920 | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 855,964 | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 851,847 | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 850,628 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 850,216 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 851,074 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 851,892 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 852,656 | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 855,821 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 858,537 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 858,275 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 856,946 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 855,813 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 853,891 | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 849,380 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 850,762 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 855,372 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 857,244 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 855,676 | -0.2% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 855,676 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,859, 86.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 855,676 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 31,761, 26.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of child deaths by region in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | -30.7% | 976,521 | 677,119 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 991,094 | 991,094 | 991,094 | 1 |
| 1970s | 724,884 | 677,119 | 976,521 | 10 |
| 1980s | 772,786 | 716,538 | 838,347 | 10 |
| 1990s | 910,876 | 855,067 | 941,372 | 10 |
| 2000s | 880,846 | 850,628 | 923,928 | 10 |
| 2010s | 854,512 | 850,216 | 858,537 | 10 |
| 2020s | 853,687 | 849,380 | 857,244 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More health data for Nigeria
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8137 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,301 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 257,921 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 14 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0711 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of child deaths by region in Nigeria?
- Number of child deaths by region in Nigeria was 855,676 in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of child deaths by region recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 991,094 in 1969.
- What is the lowest number of child deaths by region recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 677,119 in 1971.
- How does Nigeria rank for number of child deaths by region?
- Nigeria ranks 1st out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of child deaths by region rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of child deaths by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The estimated number of children under five years old who die each year.