Infant deaths (UN IGME estimate, 2024) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Infant deaths (UN IGME estimate, 2024) was 519,644 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
519,644
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
2nd
of 201 countries
All-time high
528,639
in 1968
All-time low
367,845
in 1977
Years of data
60
1965–2024
Infant deaths in Nigeria, 1965–2024
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
In 2024, infant deaths in Nigeria stood at 519,644.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant deaths in Nigeria peaked at 528,639 in 1968 and was at its lowest, 367,845, in 1977.
That places Nigeria 2nd out of 201 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.
Infant deaths (UN IGME estimate, 2024) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 378,308 | — |
| 1966 | 378,023 | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 377,820 | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 528,639 | +39.9% |
| 1969 | 522,359 | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 521,516 | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 370,421 | -29.0% |
| 1972 | 372,762 | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 370,757 | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 370,061 | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 369,738 | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 368,707 | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 367,845 | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 368,951 | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 368,936 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 368,822 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 370,544 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 374,669 | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 381,860 | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 387,235 | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 391,757 | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 398,918 | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 406,681 | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 416,547 | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 428,592 | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 440,182 | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 449,999 | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 460,348 | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 471,543 | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 482,333 | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 493,259 | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 501,670 | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 505,105 | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 505,289 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 505,850 | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 508,820 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 508,546 | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 504,516 | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 499,683 | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 494,529 | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 490,402 | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 487,862 | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 485,578 | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 485,494 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 487,080 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 488,444 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 490,579 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 492,146 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 493,174 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 496,495 | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 498,939 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 498,287 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 497,432 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 497,680 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 498,051 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 497,425 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 502,722 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 511,084 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 517,049 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 519,644 | +0.5% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 519,644 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7,969, 65.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 519,644 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22,678, 22.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Infant deaths (UN IGME estimate, 2024) 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 | +39.9% | 377,820 | 528,639 |
| 1971 | -29.0% | 521,516 | 370,421 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 437,030 | 377,820 | 528,639 | 5 |
| 1970s | 384,969 | 367,845 | 521,516 | 10 |
| 1980s | 392,562 | 368,822 | 428,592 | 10 |
| 1990s | 481,558 | 440,182 | 505,850 | 10 |
| 2000s | 495,251 | 485,494 | 508,820 | 10 |
| 2010s | 495,123 | 488,444 | 498,939 | 10 |
| 2020s | 509,585 | 497,425 | 519,644 | 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)
- 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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0729 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant deaths in Nigeria?
- Infant deaths in Nigeria was 519,644 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest infant deaths recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 528,639 in 1968.
- What is the lowest infant deaths recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 367,845 in 1977.
- How does Nigeria rank for infant deaths?
- Nigeria ranks 2nd out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant deaths rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Infant deaths (UN IGME estimate, 2024). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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