Child mortality by sex in Nigeria
Nigeria: Child mortality by sex was 12.14 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Child mortality by sex in Nigeria, 1964–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for child mortality by sex in Nigeria is 12.14, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 61 years on record.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality by sex in Nigeria peaked at 41.66 in 1968 and was at its lowest, 12.14, in 2024.
That places Nigeria 1st out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 61 years of available data.
Child mortality by sex in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 33.67 | — |
| 1965 | 32.92 | -2.2% |
| 1966 | 32.23 | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 31.54 | -2.1% |
| 1968 | 41.66 | +32.1% |
| 1969 | 40.72 | -2.3% |
| 1970 | 39.73 | -2.4% |
| 1971 | 28.6 | -28.0% |
| 1972 | 27.79 | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 26.96 | -3.0% |
| 1974 | 26.11 | -3.1% |
| 1975 | 25.28 | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 24.51 | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 23.8 | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 23.16 | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 22.62 | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 22.17 | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 21.85 | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 21.63 | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 21.53 | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 21.52 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 21.56 | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 21.64 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 21.71 | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 21.74 | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 21.73 | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 21.68 | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 21.59 | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 21.48 | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 21.31 | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 21.15 | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 20.93 | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 20.65 | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 20.26 | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 19.79 | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 19.18 | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 18.51 | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 17.83 | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 17.14 | -3.9% |
| 2003 | 16.49 | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 15.9 | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 15.35 | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 14.86 | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 14.4 | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 14.02 | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 13.66 | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 13.32 | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 13.06 | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 12.84 | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 12.66 | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 12.51 | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 12.39 | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 12.34 | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 12.32 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 12.31 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 12.31 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 12.31 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 12.32 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 12.31 | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 12.26 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 12.14 | -1.0% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 12.14 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.05, 3.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 12.14 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.38, 2.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality by sex 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | +32.1% | 31.54 | 41.66 |
| 1971 | -28.0% | 39.73 | 28.6 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 35.46 | 31.54 | 41.66 | 6 |
| 1970s | 26.86 | 22.62 | 39.73 | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.71 | 21.52 | 22.17 | 10 |
| 1990s | 20.8 | 19.18 | 21.68 | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.81 | 13.66 | 18.51 | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.61 | 12.31 | 13.32 | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.27 | 12.14 | 12.32 | 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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 257,921 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0729 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality by sex in Nigeria?
- Child mortality by sex in Nigeria was 12.14 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality by sex recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 41.66 in 1968.
- What is the lowest child mortality by sex recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.14 in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for child mortality by sex?
- Nigeria ranks 1st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality by sex rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).