Chart and table of the Nigeria death rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

As of 2023, the mortality rate of infants aged under one-year-old in Nigeria was measured at 55.17. This means that there were about 55 deaths of children under the age of one year per 1,000 live births. Child mortality rates in Africa are very high. Among the countries with the highest infant mortality rate in the world, almost all of them are African countries. Similarly, maternal mortality rates are high. In 2017, Nigeria recorded 917 deaths of mothers per 100,000 live births.

This statistic shows the 20 countries* with the highest infant mortality rate in 2024. An estimated 101.3 infants per 1,000 live births died in the first year of life in Afghanistan in 2024. Infant and child mortality Infant mortality usually refers to the death of children younger than one year. Child mortality, which is often used synonymously with infant mortality, is the death of children younger than five. Among the main causes are pneumonia, diarrhea – which causes dehydration – and infections in newborns, with malnutrition also posing a severe problem. As can be seen above, most countries with a high infant mortality rate are developing countries or emerging countries, most of which are located in Africa. Good health care and hygiene are crucial in reducing child mortality; among the countries with the lowest infant mortality rate are exclusively developed countries, whose inhabitants usually have access to clean water and comprehensive health care. Access to vaccinations, antibiotics and a balanced nutrition also help reducing child mortality in these regions. In some countries, infants are killed if they turn out to be of a certain gender. India, for example, is known as a country where a lot of girls are aborted or killed right after birth, as they are considered to be too expensive for poorer families, who traditionally have to pay a costly dowry on the girl’s wedding day. Interestingly, the global mortality rate among boys is higher than that for girls, which could be due to the fact that more male infants are actually born than female ones. Other theories include a stronger immune system in girls, or more premature births among boys.

Nigeria NG: Number of Deaths Ages 20-24 Years data was reported at 36,977.000 Person in 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 36,644.000 Person for 2018. Nigeria NG: Number of Deaths Ages 20-24 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 37,240.500 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2019, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 38,716.000 Person in 2005 and a record low of 33,690.000 Person in 1990. Nigeria NG: Number of Deaths Ages 20-24 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Nigeria – Table NG.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Number of deaths of youths ages 20-24 years; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Sum; Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

Chart and table of the Nigeria birth rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

Nigeria is the fifth country in sub-Saharan Africa at risk of genocide. Worldwide, Nigeria ranked 12th as of 2024. The risk percentage of mass killing stood at 3.2 percent, dropping from 7.9 percent in the preceding year. Many different forms of violence and conflicts are often ongoing in Nigeria, mainly in the North due to the rooted presence of Boko Haram. In addition, different armed groups are operating in the country, like those in the Niger Delta and South-East Zone. Nevertheless, the source does not consider violence caused by those running conflicts and separatist movements as criteria for mass killings. Despite the high number of deaths caused by terrorism, these groups do not act against a particular group of civilians. According to the source, Nigeria's high position in the ranking is determined by criteria which include its large population of over 200 million people, its high child mortality rate, the ongoing battle-related deaths, the country's history of mass killing, and its degree of ethnic fractionalization.

The infant mortality rate in Nigeria declined to 68.5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022. As a result, the infant mortality rate in Nigeria saw its lowest number in 2022 with 68.5 deaths per 1,000 live births. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of infants who do not survive past the first year of life, expressed as a value per 1,000 births.Find more statistics on other topics about Nigeria with key insights such as death rate, total life expectancy at birth, and health expenditure as a share of gross domestic product.

The statistic shows the adult mortality rate in Nigeria from 2012 to 2022, by gender. According to the source, the adult mortality rate is the probability of dying between the ages of 15 and 60 - that is, the probability of a 15-year-old dying before reaching age 60, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year between those ages. In 2022, the mortality rate for women was at 349.87 per 1,000 female adults, while the mortality rate for men was at 364.6 per 1,000 male adults in Nigeria.

The main causes of death in Nigeria in 2021 were neonatal disorders and malaria. More specifically, nearly 14 percent and 13 percent of all deaths in the country were caused by neonatal disorders and malaria, respectively. Other common causes included lower respiratory infects and COVID-19.

As of July 2024, Nigeria's population was estimated at around 229.5 million. Between 1965 and 2024, the number of people living in Nigeria increased at an average rate of over two percent. In 2024, the population grew by 2.42 percent compared to the previous year. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. By extension, the African continent records the highest growth rate in the world. Africa's most populous country Nigeria was the most populous country in Africa as of 2023. As of 2022, Lagos held the distinction of being Nigeria's biggest urban center, a status it also retained as the largest city across all of sub-Saharan Africa. The city boasted an excess of 17.5 million residents. Notably, Lagos assumed the pivotal roles of the nation's primary financial hub, cultural epicenter, and educational nucleus. Furthermore, Lagos was one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. Nigeria's youthful population In Nigeria, a significant 50 percent of the populace is under the age of 19. The most prominent age bracket is constituted by those up to four years old: comprising 8.3 percent of men and eight percent of women as of 2021. Nigeria boasts one of the world's most youthful populations. On a broader scale, both within Africa and internationally, Niger maintains the lowest median age record. Nigeria secures the 20th position in global rankings. Furthermore, the life expectancy in Nigeria is an average of 62 years old. However, this is different between men and women. The main causes of death have been neonatal disorders, malaria, and diarrheal diseases.

In South Sudan, Chad, and Nigeria the maternal mortality rate was above one thousand in 2020. South Sudan recorded the highest number of mothers' deaths per 100,000 live births. That year, for every 100,000 children, 1,223 mothers died from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management. The maternal death rate in Chad equaled to 1,063. Nigeria followed with 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Men born in Chad have the lowest life expectancy in the world as of 2024, reaching only 53 years. The lowest life expectancy for women in the world in 2024 was for girls born in Nigeria, with only 55 years. Except for Afghanistan, all the countries with the lowest life expectancy in the world are in Africa.

In 2023, life expectancy at birth in Nigeria was about 61.79 years. More specifically, this figure equaled 60 years for males and 64 years for females. Life expectancy at birth in Nigeria is among the lowest in Africa as well as in the world.

Between 2011 and 2023, Boko Haram was responsible for thousands of deaths in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Nigeria is the country most affected by the terrorist group's attacks. States in the North-East register the highest number of deaths. Borno is by far the most threatened state, in that, Boko Haram has caused over 38,000 deaths in this area. Among the news on attacks mostly present in the media, the kidnapping of 276 female students from a secondary school in Borno in 2014 received a global response. As of April 2021, over 100 girls were still missing, while six students were believed to have died.

In Nigeria, political, economic, and social grievances are causing violence and deaths. Several militant groups are active in the country, leading to attacks to both civil and military targets. Boko Haram is the deadliest terrorist group, an affiliate of the Islamic State. In 2021, the highest number of fatalities was in February. Furthermore, in June 2020, an attack occurred in a village not far from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital and center of the conflicts in northeastern Nigeria. At that month, the death of 179 civilians was registered. Boko Haram is the main suspect responsible for this attack. In the same month, the region of Borno was hit also by another massacre carried out by the Islamic State in West Africa.

In 2024, there are six countries, all in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the average woman of childbearing age can expect to have around six or more children throughout their lifetime. In fact, of the 20 countries in the world with the highest fertility rates, Afghanistan is the only country not found in Sub-Saharan Africa. High fertility rates in Africa With a fertility rate of almost 7 children per woman, Niger is the country with the highest fertility rate in the world. Population growth in Niger is among the highest in the world. Lack of healthcare access, as well as food instability, political instability, and climate change, are all exacerbating conditions that keep Niger's infant mortality rates high, which is generally the driver behind high fertility rates. This situation is common across much of the continent, and, although there has been considerable progress in recent decades, development in Sub-Saharan Africa is not moving as quickly as it did in other less-developed regions. Demographic transition While these countries have the highest fertility rates in the world, their rates are all on a generally downward trajectory due to a phenomenon known as the demographic transition. The third stage (of four or five) of this transition sees birth rates drop in response to decreased infant and child mortality, as families no longer feel the need to compensate for lost children. Eventually, fertility rates fall below replacement level (approximately 2.1 children per woman), which eventually leads to natural population decline once life expectancy plateaus. In some of the most developed countries today, low fertility rates are

Africa has the youngest population in the world. Among the 35 countries with the lowest median age worldwide, only three fall outside the continent. In 2023, the median age in Niger was 15.1 years, the youngest country. This means that at this age point, half of the population was younger and half older. A young population reflects several demographic characteristics of a country. For instance, together with a high population growth, life expectancy in Western Africa is low: this reached 57 years for men and 59 for women. Overall, Africa has the lowest life expectancy in the world.

Africa’s population is still growing Africa’s population growth can be linked to a high fertility rate along with a drop in death rates. Despite the fertility rate on the continent, following a constant declining trend, it remains far higher compared to all other regions worldwide. It was forecast to reach 4.12 children per woman, compared to a worldwide average of 2.31 children per woman in 2024. Furthermore, the crude death rate in Africa overall dropped, only increasing slightly during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The largest populations on the continent Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the most populous African countries. In 2023, people living in Nigeria amounted to around 224 million, while the number for the three other countries exceeded 100 million each. Of those, the Democratic Republic of Congo sustained the fourth-highest fertility rate in Africa. Nigeria and Ethiopia also had high rates, with 5.24 and 4.16 births per woman, respectively. Although such a high fertility rate is expected to slow down, it will still impact the population structure, growing younger nations.

In 2022, with just one death per one thousand people, Qatar was the country with the lowest death rate worldwide. This statistic shows a ranking of the 20 countries with the lowest death rates worldwide, as of 2022. Health in high-income countries Countries with the highest life expectancies are also often high-income countries with well-developed economic, social and health care systems, providing adequate resources and access to treatment for health concerns. Health care expenditure as a share of GDP varies per country; for example, spending in the United States is higher than in other OECD countries due to higher costs and prices for care services and products. In developed countries, the main burden of disease is often due to non-communicable diseases occurring in old age such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. High burden in low-income countries The countries with the lowest life expectancy worldwide are all in Africa- including Chad, Lesotho, and Nigeria- with life expectancies reaching up to 20 years shorter than the average global life expectancy. Leading causes of death in low-income countries include respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases, as these countries are often hit with the double burden of infectious diseases plus non-communicable diseases, such as those related to cardiovascular pathologies. Additionally, these countries often lack the resources and infrastructure to sustain effective healthcare systems and fail to provide appropriate access and treatment for their populations.

This statistic shows the average life expectancy in North America for those born in 2022, by gender and region. In Canada, the average life expectancy was 80 years for males and 84 years for females.

Life expectancy in North America

Of those considered in this statistic, the life expectancy of female Canadian infants born in 2021 was the longest, at 84 years. Female infants born in America that year had a similarly high life expectancy of 81 years. Male infants, meanwhile, had lower life expectancies of 80 years (Canada) and 76 years (USA).

Compare this to the worldwide life expectancy for babies born in 2021: 75 years for women and 71 years for men. Of continents worldwide, North America ranks equal first in terms of life expectancy of (77 years for men and 81 years for women). Life expectancy is lowest in Africa at just 63 years and 66 years for males and females respectively. Japan is the country with the highest life expectancy worldwide for babies born in 2020.

Life expectancy is calculated according to current mortality rates of the population in question. Global variations in life expectancy are caused by differences in medical care, public health and diet, and reflect global inequalities in economic circumstances. Africa’s low life expectancy, for example, can be attributed in part to the AIDS epidemic. In 2019, around 72,000 people died of AIDS in South Africa, the largest amount worldwide. Nigeria, Tanzania and India were also high on the list of countries ranked by AIDS deaths that year. Likewise, Africa has by far the highest rate of mortality by communicable disease (i.e. AIDS, neglected tropics diseases, malaria and tuberculosis).

In 2023, the average life expectancy of the world was 70 years for men and 75 years for women. The lowest life expectancies were found in Africa, while Oceania and Europe had the highest.

What is life expectancy?

Life expectancy is defined as a statistical measure of how long a person may live, based on demographic factors such as gender, current age, and most importantly the year of their birth. The most commonly used measure of life expectancy is life expectancy at birth or at age zero. The calculation is based on the assumption that mortality rates at each age were to remain constant in the future.

Life expectancy has changed drastically over time, especially during the past 200 years. In the early 20th century, the average life expectancy at birth in the developed world stood at 31 years. It has grown to an average of 70 and 75 years for males and females respectively, and is expected to keep on growing with advances in medical treatment and living standard continuing.

Highest and lowest life expectancy worldwide

Life expectancy still varies greatly between different regions and countries of the world. The biggest impact on life expectancy is the quality of public health, medical care, and diet. As of 2021, the countries with the highest life expectancy were Japan, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and South Korea, all at 84 years. Most of the countries with the lowest life expectancy are mostly African countries. The ranking was led by the Chad, Nigeria, and Lesotho with 53 years.