Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) was 39.05 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
39.05 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
2nd
of 213 countries
All-time high
46.1 per 1,000 live births
in 2000
All-time low
37.63 per 1,000 live births
in 2012
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in per 1,000 live births.
Analysis
In 2024, neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria stood at 39.05 per 1,000 live births.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria peaked at 46.1 per 1,000 live births in 2000 and was at its lowest, 37.63 per 1,000 live births, in 2012.
Nigeria ranks 2nd of 213 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 46.1 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 2001 | 44.77 per 1,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 43.41 per 1,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 42.06 per 1,000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 40.94 per 1,000 live births | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 40.02 per 1,000 live births | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 39.31 per 1,000 live births | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 38.78 per 1,000 live births | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 38.4 per 1,000 live births | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 38.07 per 1,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 37.85 per 1,000 live births | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 37.7 per 1,000 live births | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 37.63 per 1,000 live births | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 37.66 per 1,000 live births | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 37.78 per 1,000 live births | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 37.99 per 1,000 live births | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 38.21 per 1,000 live births | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 38.48 per 1,000 live births | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 38.74 per 1,000 live births | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 38.96 per 1,000 live births | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 39.16 per 1,000 live births | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 39.28 per 1,000 live births | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 39.33 per 1,000 live births | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 39.24 per 1,000 live births | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 39.05 per 1,000 live births | -0.5% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 39.05 per 1,000 live births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.6 per 1,000 live births, 2.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 39.05 per 1,000 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.6 per 1,000 live births, 1.7× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 41.19 per 1,000 live births | 38.07 per 1,000 live births | 46.1 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.1 per 1,000 live births | 37.63 per 1,000 live births | 38.96 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.21 per 1,000 live births | 39.05 per 1,000 live births | 39.33 per 1,000 live births | 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)
- 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 neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria?
- Neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria was 39.05 per 1,000 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 46.1 per 1,000 live births in 2000.
- What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.63 per 1,000 live births in 2012.
- How does Nigeria rank for neonatal mortality rate?
- Nigeria ranks 2nd out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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