Lifetime risk of maternal death in Nigeria
Nigeria: Lifetime risk of maternal death was 4.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Lifetime risk of maternal death in Nigeria, 1985–2023
Source: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lifetime risk of maternal death in Nigeria is 4.1%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.6% on the previous year and down 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lifetime risk of maternal death in Nigeria peaked at 8.1% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 4.1%, in 2023.
Nigeria ranks 3rd of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Lifetime risk of maternal death in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 8.1% | — |
| 1986 | 8.1% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 7.9% | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 7.8% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 7.6% | -2.0% |
| 1990 | 7.4% | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 7.4% | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 7.1% | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 6.8% | -4.0% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 6.7% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 6.6% | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 6.5% | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 6.5% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 6.4% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 6.3% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 6.2% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 6.2% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 6.0% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 5.9% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 5.8% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 5.9% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 5.8% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 6.0% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 6.0% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 6.0% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 6.0% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 6.0% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 6.0% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 5.9% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 5.6% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 5.4% | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 5.1% | -5.1% |
| 2019 | 4.8% | -5.6% |
| 2020 | 4.6% | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 4.2% | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 4.1% | -3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% | 5 |
| 1990s | 6.8% | 6.4% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.0% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.7% | 4.8% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.3% | 4.1% | 4.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 1 Central African Republic 4.2% compare
- 2 Chad 4.2% compare
- 4 Somalia 3.4% compare
- 5 Liberia 2.5% compare
- 6 Afghanistan 2.5% 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)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 2.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0093 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 3.06 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0089 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lifetime risk of maternal death in Nigeria?
- Lifetime risk of maternal death in Nigeria was 4.1% in 2023, according to Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest lifetime risk of maternal death recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 8.1% in 1985.
- What is the lowest lifetime risk of maternal death recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.1% in 2023.
- How does Nigeria rank for lifetime risk of maternal death?
- Nigeria ranks 3rd out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is lifetime risk of maternal death rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Lifetime risk of maternal death (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Life time risk of maternal death is the probability that a 15-year-old female will die eventually from a maternal cause assuming that current levels of fertility and mortality (including maternal mortality) do not change in the future, taking into account competing causes of death.