Child mortality in Nigeria
Nigeria: Child mortality was 11.56 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Child mortality in Nigeria, 1962–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, child mortality in Nigeria stood at 11.56. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality in Nigeria peaked at 40.68 in 1968 and was at its lowest, 11.56, in 2024.
Nigeria ranks 1st of 200 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Child mortality in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 31.33 | — |
| 1963 | 31.13 | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 32.57 | +4.6% |
| 1965 | 31.88 | -2.1% |
| 1966 | 31.21 | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 30.54 | -2.1% |
| 1968 | 40.68 | +33.2% |
| 1969 | 39.72 | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 38.74 | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 27.63 | -28.7% |
| 1972 | 26.8 | -3.0% |
| 1973 | 25.98 | -3.1% |
| 1974 | 25.15 | -3.2% |
| 1975 | 24.33 | -3.3% |
| 1976 | 23.58 | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 22.88 | -3.0% |
| 1978 | 22.26 | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 21.71 | -2.5% |
| 1980 | 21.29 | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 20.97 | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 20.77 | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 20.67 | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 20.66 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 20.69 | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 20.75 | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 20.8 | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 20.82 | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 20.8 | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 20.76 | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 20.67 | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 20.57 | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 20.46 | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 20.31 | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 20.1 | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 19.81 | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 19.43 | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 18.94 | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 18.36 | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 17.73 | -3.4% |
| 2001 | 17.05 | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 16.39 | -3.9% |
| 2003 | 15.74 | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 15.14 | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 14.58 | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 14.09 | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 13.65 | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 13.25 | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 12.92 | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 12.63 | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 12.38 | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 12.16 | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 11.99 | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 11.87 | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 11.78 | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 11.74 | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 11.72 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 11.72 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 11.74 | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 11.74 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 11.76 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 11.75 | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 11.68 | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 11.56 | -1.0% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 11.56 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.69, 3.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 11.56 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.89, 2.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality 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 | +33.2% | 30.54 | 40.68 |
| 1971 | -28.7% | 38.74 | 27.63 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 33.63 | 30.54 | 40.68 | 8 |
| 1970s | 25.91 | 21.71 | 38.74 | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.82 | 20.66 | 21.29 | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.94 | 18.36 | 20.76 | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.05 | 12.92 | 17.73 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.97 | 11.72 | 12.63 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.7 | 11.56 | 11.76 | 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 in Nigeria?
- Child mortality in Nigeria was 11.56 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 40.68 in 1968.
- What is the lowest child mortality recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.56 in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for child mortality?
- Nigeria ranks 1st out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).