Domestic general government health expenditure in Nigeria
Nigeria: Domestic general government health expenditure was 14.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Domestic general government health expenditure in Nigeria, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 14.3% for domestic general government health expenditure in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, domestic general government health expenditure in Nigeria peaked at 26.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 13.0%, in 2016.
Nigeria ranks 181st of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Domestic general government health expenditure in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.3% | — |
| 2001 | 26.9% | +46.8% |
| 2002 | 21.3% | -20.7% |
| 2003 | 18.4% | -13.8% |
| 2004 | 25.9% | +41.0% |
| 2005 | 25.6% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 21.2% | -17.1% |
| 2007 | 19.9% | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 17.9% | -10.2% |
| 2009 | 15.9% | -10.9% |
| 2010 | 13.6% | -14.6% |
| 2011 | 14.4% | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 16.2% | +12.2% |
| 2013 | 14.3% | -11.7% |
| 2014 | 13.3% | -6.9% |
| 2015 | 16.4% | +23.5% |
| 2016 | 13.0% | -20.8% |
| 2017 | 14.2% | +9.2% |
| 2018 | 16.1% | +13.3% |
| 2019 | 15.7% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 15.0% | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 13.3% | -11.3% |
| 2022 | 14.7% | +10.9% |
| 2023 | 14.3% | -2.6% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 14.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 37.9%, 38% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 14.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.1%, 48% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.1% | 15.9% | 26.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.7% | 13.0% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.3% | 13.3% | 15.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 178 Benin 14.7% compare
- 179 Bangladesh 14.5% compare
- 180 Central African Republic 14.4% compare
- 182 Micronesia (country) 14.2% compare
- 183 Somalia 14.2% compare
- 184 Comoros 12.9% compare
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 domestic general government health expenditure in Nigeria?
- Domestic general government health expenditure in Nigeria was 14.3% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest domestic general government health expenditure recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 26.9% in 2001.
- What is the lowest domestic general government health expenditure recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.0% in 2016.
- How does Nigeria rank for domestic general government health expenditure?
- Nigeria ranks 181st out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is domestic general government health expenditure rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Domestic general government health expenditure (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of current health expenditures funded from domestic public sources for health. Domestic public sources include domestic revenue as internal transfers and grants, transfers, subsidies to voluntary health insurance beneficiaries, non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) or enterprise financing schemes as well as compulsory prepayment and social health insurance contributions. They do not include external resources spent by governments on health.