Suicide rate, by age in Nigeria
Nigeria: Suicide rate, by age was 2.82 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
2.82 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
167th
of 194 countries
All-time high
3.6 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2001
All-time low
2.75 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Suicide rate, by age in Nigeria, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 2.82 deaths per 100,000 people for suicide rate, by age in 2021.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and down 15.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, suicide rate, by age in Nigeria peaked at 3.6 deaths per 100,000 people in 2001 and was at its lowest, 2.75 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2020.
That places Nigeria 167th out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Suicide rate, by age in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.54 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 3.6 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 3.37 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.2% |
| 2003 | 3.34 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 3.49 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 3.17 deaths per 100,000 people | -9.2% |
| 2006 | 3.28 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 3.27 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 3.23 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 3.24 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 3.27 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 3.35 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 3.22 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 3.16 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 3.15 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 2.99 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.9% |
| 2016 | 2.98 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 2.92 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 3 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 2.85 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 2.75 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.6% |
| 2021 | 2.82 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.35 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.17 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.6 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.09 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.85 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.35 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.79 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.75 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.82 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 164 Honduras 3.05 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 165 Niger 2.93 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 166 Mali 2.84 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 168 Azerbaijan 2.75 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 169 Tunisia 2.67 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 170 Albania 2.62 deaths per 100,000 people 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)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 0.842 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1997 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 0.8652 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.2055 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is suicide rate, by age in Nigeria?
- Suicide rate, by age in Nigeria was 2.82 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest suicide rate, by age recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6 deaths per 100,000 people in 2001.
- What is the lowest suicide rate, by age recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.75 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020.
- How does Nigeria rank for suicide rate, by age?
- Nigeria ranks 167th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is suicide rate, by age rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Suicide rate, by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths from self-harm among both sexes aged 20-24 year olds, per 100,000 people.