Number of children who die before age 5 in Nigeria
Nigeria: Number of children who die before age 5 was 771,644 deaths in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
771,644 deaths
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
1st
of 236 countries
All-time high
967,366 deaths
in 2000
All-time low
567,058 deaths
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children who die before age 5 in Nigeria, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of children who die before age 5 in Nigeria is 771,644 deaths, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children who die before age 5 in Nigeria peaked at 967,366 deaths in 2000 and was at its lowest, 567,058 deaths, in 1950.
That places Nigeria 1st out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Number of children who die before age 5 in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 567,058 deaths | — |
| 1951 | 571,952 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1952 | 577,842 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1953 | 585,034 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1954 | 592,902 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1955 | 602,365 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1956 | 610,577 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1957 | 619,234 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1958 | 626,931 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 634,432 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1960 | 642,594 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1961 | 650,562 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 659,528 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 668,864 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 678,572 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1965 | 688,952 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 698,592 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 716,187 deaths | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 707,289 deaths | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 714,413 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 718,784 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 724,429 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 725,905 deaths | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 730,261 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 733,951 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 740,274 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 723,525 deaths | -2.3% |
| 1977 | 726,853 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 732,005 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 736,693 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 743,453 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 749,773 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 760,437 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 773,771 deaths | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 782,256 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 795,933 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 809,543 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 824,373 deaths | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 841,799 deaths | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 861,440 deaths | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 879,251 deaths | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 898,008 deaths | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 915,048 deaths | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 931,042 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 943,906 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 954,859 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 963,780 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 966,718 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 965,335 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 966,625 deaths | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 967,366 deaths | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 966,163 deaths | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 961,805 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 955,898 deaths | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 951,687 deaths | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 944,732 deaths | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 938,338 deaths | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 932,411 deaths | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 930,504 deaths | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 930,098 deaths | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 930,912 deaths | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 933,320 deaths | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 933,704 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 933,036 deaths | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 934,264 deaths | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 928,185 deaths | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 913,578 deaths | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 897,371 deaths | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 877,160 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 852,060 deaths | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 825,599 deaths | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 806,738 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 787,808 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 771,644 deaths | -2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 598,833 deaths | 567,058 deaths | 634,432 deaths | 10 |
| 1960s | 682,555 deaths | 642,594 deaths | 716,187 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 729,268 deaths | 718,784 deaths | 740,274 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 794,278 deaths | 743,453 deaths | 861,440 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 938,457 deaths | 879,251 deaths | 966,718 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 947,900 deaths | 930,098 deaths | 967,366 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 913,359 deaths | 852,060 deaths | 934,264 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 797,947 deaths | 771,644 deaths | 825,599 deaths | 4 |
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)
- 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 number of children who die before age 5 in Nigeria?
- Number of children who die before age 5 in Nigeria was 771,644 deaths in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children who die before age 5 recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 967,366 deaths in 2000.
- What is the lowest number of children who die before age 5 recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 567,058 deaths in 1950.
- How does Nigeria rank for number of children who die before age 5?
- Nigeria ranks 1st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children who die before age 5 rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children who die before age 5. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a calendar year. This only includes people aged 0-4.