Prevalence of anemia among children in Nigeria
Nigeria: Prevalence of anemia among children was 68.9% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of anemia among children in Nigeria, 2000–2019
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of children ages 6-59 months.
Analysis
In 2019, prevalence of anemia among children in Nigeria stood at 68.9%. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of anemia among children in Nigeria peaked at 79.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 68.9%, in 2019.
Nigeria ranks 12th of 190 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Prevalence of anemia among children in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of children ages 6-59 months | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 79.3% | — |
| 2001 | 78.7% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 78.1% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 77.4% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 76.6% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 75.8% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 75.0% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 74.3% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 73.6% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 73.1% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 72.6% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 72.2% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 71.9% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 71.8% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 71.5% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 71.3% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 70.9% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 70.4% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 69.7% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 68.9% | -1.1% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 68.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47.9%, 1.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 68.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.4%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 76.2% | 73.1% | 79.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.1% | 68.9% | 72.6% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 9 Cote d'Ivoire 72.2% compare
- 10 Niger 72.0% compare
- 11 Benin 71.0% compare
- 13 Mozambique 68.2% compare
- 14 Guinea-Bissau 68.0% compare
- 15 Senegal 67.9% 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 prevalence of anemia among children in Nigeria?
- Prevalence of anemia among children in Nigeria was 68.9% in 2019, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of anemia among children recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 79.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of anemia among children recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 68.9% in 2019.
- How does Nigeria rank for prevalence of anemia among children?
- Nigeria ranks 12th out of 190 countries with data for 2019.
- Is prevalence of anemia among children rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Prevalence of anemia among children (% of children ages 6-59 months). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of anemia, children ages 6-59 months, is the percentage of children ages 6-59 months whose hemoglobin level is less than 110 grams per liter, adjusted for altitude.