Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting) was 33.8 in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
33.8
Change on year
up 7.3%
World rank
18th
of 96 countries
All-time high
48.67
in 1990
All-time low
31.5
in 2020
Years of data
10
1990–2021
Height-for-age <-2 SD in Nigeria, 1990–2021
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
In 2021, height-for-age <-2 sd in Nigeria stood at 33.8.
The figure is up 7.3% on the previous year and down 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, height-for-age <-2 sd in Nigeria peaked at 48.67 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 31.5, in 2020.
Nigeria ranks 18th of 96 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 48.67 | — |
| 1993 | 43.8 | -10.0% |
| 2003 | 42.54 | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 35.84 | -15.8% |
| 2014 | 33.56 | -6.4% |
| 2015 | 33.01 | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 43.58 | +32.0% |
| 2018 | 36.82 | -15.5% |
| 2020 | 31.5 | -14.4% |
| 2021 | 33.8 | +7.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 33.8 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23.42, 1.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 33.8 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.53, 1.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.24 | 43.8 | 48.67 | 2 |
| 2000s | 42.54 | 42.54 | 42.54 | 1 |
| 2010s | 36.56 | 33.01 | 43.58 | 5 |
| 2020s | 32.65 | 31.5 | 33.8 | 2 |
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 height-for-age <-2 sd in Nigeria?
- Height-for-age <-2 sd in Nigeria was 33.8 in 2021, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest height-for-age <-2 sd recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 48.67 in 1990.
- What is the lowest height-for-age <-2 sd recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.5 in 2020.
- How does Nigeria rank for height-for-age <-2 sd?
- Nigeria ranks 18th out of 96 countries with data for 2021.
- Is height-for-age <-2 sd rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.7%. 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 Height-for-age <-2 SD (stunting). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).