Weight-for-age <-2 SD in Nigeria

Nigeria: Weight-for-age <-2 SD was 24.4 in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
24.4
Change on year
up 32.5%
World rank
7th
of 95 countries
All-time high
35.1
in 1993
All-time low
18.42
in 2020
Years of data
10
1990–2021

Weight-for-age <-2 SD in Nigeria, 1990–2021

0102030401990200520211990: 33.11993: 35.12003: 26.72011: 24.22014: 20.62015: 19.52016: 31.52018: 21.82020: 18.42021: 24.4

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

Nigeria recorded 24.4 for weight-for-age <-2 sd in 2021.

The figure is up 32.5% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, weight-for-age <-2 sd in Nigeria peaked at 35.1 in 1993 and was at its lowest, 18.42, in 2020.

Nigeria ranks 7th of 95 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 34.12 33.14 35.1 2
2000s 26.66 26.66 26.66 1
2010s 23.52 19.53 31.5 5
2020s 21.41 18.42 24.4 2

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 4 India 31.47 compare
  2. 5 Burundi 28.3 compare
  3. 6 Democratic Republic of the Congo 25 compare
  4. 8 Lao People’s Democratic Republic 24.3 compare
  5. 9 Pakistan 23.06 compare
  6. 10 Madagascar 22.62 compare

See the full ranking of 95 places →

More health data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is weight-for-age <-2 sd in Nigeria?
Weight-for-age <-2 sd in Nigeria was 24.4 in 2021, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest weight-for-age <-2 sd recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 35.1 in 1993.
What is the lowest weight-for-age <-2 sd recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 18.42 in 2020.
How does Nigeria rank for weight-for-age <-2 sd?
Nigeria ranks 7th out of 95 countries with data for 2021.
Is weight-for-age <-2 sd rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Weight-for-age <-2 SD (Underweight). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).

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Weight-for-age <-2 SD in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 21 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/weight-for-age-2-sd-underweight/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Weight-for-age <-2 SD (Underweight)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
95 places, 950 data points, 1985–2024
Last refreshed