Under-five deaths (UN IGME estimate, 2024) in Nigeria
Nigeria: Under-five deaths was 855,676 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
855,676
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
1st
of 201 countries
All-time high
991,094
in 1969
All-time low
677,119
in 1971
Years of data
56
1969–2024
Under-five deaths in Nigeria, 1969–2024
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
In 2024, under-five deaths in Nigeria stood at 855,676.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, under-five deaths in Nigeria peaked at 991,094 in 1969 and was at its lowest, 677,119, in 1971.
That places Nigeria 1st out of 201 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Under-five deaths in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 991,094 | — |
| 1970 | 976,521 | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 677,119 | -30.7% |
| 1972 | 684,379 | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 690,259 | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 696,165 | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 700,474 | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 701,877 | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 703,060 | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 707,540 | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 711,447 | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 716,538 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 723,920 | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 735,018 | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 749,908 | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 764,141 | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 777,645 | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 792,902 | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 807,356 | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 822,086 | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 838,347 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 855,067 | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 870,024 | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 885,925 | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 902,396 | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 917,175 | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 930,476 | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 939,622 | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 941,372 | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 936,826 | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 929,877 | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 923,928 | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 914,965 | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 903,575 | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 892,275 | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 881,220 | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 871,140 | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 862,920 | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 855,964 | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 851,847 | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 850,628 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 850,216 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 851,074 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 851,892 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 852,656 | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 855,821 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 858,537 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 858,275 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 856,946 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 855,813 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 853,891 | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 849,380 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 850,762 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 855,372 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 857,244 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 855,676 | -0.2% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 855,676 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,859, 86.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 855,676 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 31,761, 26.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Under-five deaths in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | -30.7% | 976,521 | 677,119 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 991,094 | 991,094 | 991,094 | 1 |
| 1970s | 724,884 | 677,119 | 976,521 | 10 |
| 1980s | 772,786 | 716,538 | 838,347 | 10 |
| 1990s | 910,876 | 855,067 | 941,372 | 10 |
| 2000s | 880,846 | 850,628 | 923,928 | 10 |
| 2010s | 854,512 | 850,216 | 858,537 | 10 |
| 2020s | 853,687 | 849,380 | 857,244 | 5 |
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)
- 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 under-five deaths in Nigeria?
- Under-five deaths in Nigeria was 855,676 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest under-five deaths recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 991,094 in 1969.
- What is the lowest under-five deaths recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 677,119 in 1971.
- How does Nigeria rank for under-five deaths?
- Nigeria ranks 1st out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is under-five deaths rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Under-five deaths (UN IGME estimate, 2024). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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