Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) was 4.2% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Current health expenditure in Nigeria, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 4.2% for current health expenditure in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and up 22.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current health expenditure in Nigeria peaked at 5.1% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 2002.
Nigeria ranks 151st of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.2% | — |
| 2001 | 3.2% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | -21.9% |
| 2003 | 5.1% | +102.9% |
| 2004 | 4.6% | -8.3% |
| 2005 | 4.5% | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 4.3% | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 3.9% | -8.2% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 3.3% | -7.9% |
| 2011 | 3.3% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 3.4% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 3.3% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 3.6% | +7.0% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 3.7% | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 3.1% | -17.5% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 3.4% | +13.2% |
| 2021 | 4.1% | +20.6% |
| 2022 | 4.2% | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | -0.5% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 4.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.5%, 93% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 4.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.4%, 95% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +102.9% | 2.5% | 5.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.8% | 2.5% | 5.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.0% | 3.4% | 4.2% | 4 |
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 current health expenditure in Nigeria?
- Current health expenditure in Nigeria was 4.2% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest current health expenditure recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 5.1% in 2003.
- What is the lowest current health expenditure recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 2002.
- How does Nigeria rank for current health expenditure?
- Nigeria ranks 151st out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is current health expenditure rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Current health expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Level of current health expenditure expressed as a percentage of GDP. Estimates of current health expenditures include healthcare goods and services consumed during each year. This indicator does not include capital health expenditures such as buildings, machinery, IT and stocks of vaccines for emergency or outbreaks.