What is neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria?

Neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria was 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Nigeria?

The highest recorded value was 6.96 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1967.

What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Nigeria?

The lowest recorded value was 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023.

How does Nigeria rank for neonatal mortality rate?

Nigeria ranks 6th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.

Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Nigeria?

Over the last ten years it is down 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Nigeria data come from?

The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Neonatal mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria

Name: Neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria
Creator: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Nigeria: Neonatal mortality rate was 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)

3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births

Change on year

down 1.8%

World rank

6th

of 199 countries

All-time high

6.96 Deaths per 1000 live births

in 1967

All-time low

3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births

in 2023

Years of data

1967–2023

Neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria, 1967–2023

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Deaths per 1000 live births.

Analysis

The most recent figure for neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria is 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 57 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 9.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria peaked at 6.96 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1967 and was at its lowest, 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births, in 2023.

That places Nigeria 6th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 57 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	6.86 Deaths per 1000 live births	6.75 Deaths per 1000 live births	6.96 Deaths per 1000 live births	3
1970s	6.04 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.45 Deaths per 1000 live births	6.62 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
1980s	5.08 Deaths per 1000 live births	4.97 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.34 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
1990s	4.93 Deaths per 1000 live births	4.73 Deaths per 1000 live births	5 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2000s	4.18 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.84 Deaths per 1000 live births	4.63 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2010s	3.71 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.58 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.81 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2020s	3.46 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.54 Deaths per 1000 live births	4

Countries ranked near Nigeria

3 Somalia 3.49 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
4 Afghanistan 3.43 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
5 Niger 3.38 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
7 Guinea-Bissau 3.27 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
8 Mali 3.24 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
9 Chad 3.14 Deaths per 1000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More health data for Nigeria

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)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 726 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 726 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 2.03 million (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 1.96 million (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 2.13 million (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 2.06 million (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 2.23 million (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 2.15 million (2025)

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria?: Neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria was 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Nigeria?: The highest recorded value was 6.96 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1967.
What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Nigeria?: The lowest recorded value was 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023.
How does Nigeria rank for neonatal mortality rate?: Nigeria ranks 6th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Nigeria?: Over the last ten years it is down 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?: The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Neonatal mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 57 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Neonatal mortality rate
Unit: Deaths per 1000 live births
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 199 places, 10,174 data points, 1951–2023
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The share of newborns who die before reaching 28 days of age.