Child mortality rate (aged 1-4 years) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Child mortality rate was 49.32 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Child mortality rate in Nigeria, 1964–2024
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 49.32 for child mortality rate in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 61 years on record.
The figure is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Nigeria peaked at 241.45 in 1968 and was at its lowest, 49.32, in 2024.
That places Nigeria 1st out of 200 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 rate in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 185.95 | — |
| 1965 | 181.69 | -2.3% |
| 1966 | 177.69 | -2.2% |
| 1967 | 173.54 | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 241.45 | +39.1% |
| 1969 | 234.66 | -2.8% |
| 1970 | 227.94 | -2.9% |
| 1971 | 156.1 | -31.5% |
| 1972 | 151.13 | -3.2% |
| 1973 | 146.28 | -3.2% |
| 1974 | 141.42 | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 136.61 | -3.4% |
| 1976 | 132.26 | -3.2% |
| 1977 | 128.15 | -3.1% |
| 1978 | 124.66 | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 121.5 | -2.5% |
| 1980 | 119.11 | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 117.3 | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 116.23 | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 115.71 | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 115.65 | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 115.84 | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 116.14 | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 116.28 | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 116.15 | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 115.67 | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 114.94 | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 113.9 | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 112.8 | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 111.54 | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 110 | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 108.08 | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 105.67 | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 102.68 | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 99.17 | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 95.21 | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 91.01 | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 86.71 | -4.7% |
| 2002 | 82.53 | -4.8% |
| 2003 | 78.56 | -4.8% |
| 2004 | 74.88 | -4.7% |
| 2005 | 71.54 | -4.5% |
| 2006 | 68.52 | -4.2% |
| 2007 | 65.84 | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 63.44 | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 61.33 | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 59.5 | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 57.87 | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 56.43 | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 55.22 | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 54.24 | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 53.46 | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 52.88 | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 52.44 | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 52.09 | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 51.83 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 51.51 | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 51.24 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 50.86 | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 50.21 | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 49.32 | -1.8% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 49.32 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.43, 11.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 49.32 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.74, 3.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality rate 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 | +39.1% | 173.54 | 241.45 |
| 1971 | -31.5% | 227.94 | 156.1 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 199.16 | 173.54 | 241.45 | 6 |
| 1970s | 146.6 | 121.5 | 227.94 | 10 |
| 1980s | 116.41 | 115.65 | 119.11 | 10 |
| 1990s | 107.4 | 95.21 | 114.94 | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.44 | 61.33 | 91.01 | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.6 | 51.83 | 59.5 | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.63 | 49.32 | 51.51 | 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 child mortality rate in Nigeria?
- Child mortality rate in Nigeria was 49.32 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 241.45 in 1968.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.32 in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for child mortality rate?
- Nigeria ranks 1st out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Child mortality rate (aged 1-4 years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).