Neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria
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
57
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.
Neonatal mortality rate in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Deaths per 1000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 6.96 Deaths per 1000 live births | — |
| 1968 | 6.86 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.5% |
| 1969 | 6.75 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.6% |
| 1970 | 6.62 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 6.5 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.9% |
| 1972 | 6.37 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 6.24 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.1% |
| 1974 | 6.11 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.1% |
| 1975 | 5.97 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 5.84 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 5.71 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 5.57 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1979 | 5.45 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.2% |
| 1980 | 5.34 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 5.24 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 5.16 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 5.09 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 5.03 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 5 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 4.98 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 4.97 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 4.98 Deaths per 1000 live births | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 4.98 Deaths per 1000 live births | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 4.98 Deaths per 1000 live births | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 4.99 Deaths per 1000 live births | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 5 Deaths per 1000 live births | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 5 Deaths per 1000 live births | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4.99 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 4.97 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 4.94 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 4.89 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 4.82 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 4.73 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 4.63 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 4.53 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 4.41 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 4.29 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 4.18 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 4.09 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 4 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 3.94 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 3.89 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 3.84 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 3.81 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 3.78 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 3.76 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 3.74 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 3.73 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 3.71 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 3.69 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 3.67 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 3.63 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 3.58 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 3.54 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 3.49 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 3.43 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.8% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.06 Deaths per 1000 live births, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.4 Deaths per 1000 live births, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
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
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)
- 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)
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.
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About this data
The share of newborns who die before reaching 28 days of age.