Skip to main content

Country

Nigeria

Nigeria faces complex humanitarian challenges in maternal and newborn health across different regions. The maternal mortality ratio stands at approximately 1047.2 deaths per 100,000 live births, one of the world's highest, with significant regional variations. Northern states experience rates up to five times higher than southern states, reflecting stark regional disparities in healthcare access and socioeconomic factors. skilled birth attendance is 51% nationally, though this drops significantly in conflict-affected northern regions where Boko Haram insurgency has destroyed health infrastructure and displaced healthcare workers. The neonatal mortality rate of approximately 34.3 deaths per 1,000 1,000 live births, contributing to Nigeria's position as the second-highest contributor to global under-five mortality. Despite significant oil wealth, Nigeria's health system suffers from chronic underinvestment, with less than 5% of the national budget allocated to healthcare. Early marriage remains common in northern regions, with approximately 43% of girls married before age 18, contributing to obstetric complications related to adolescent pregnancy. Nigeria continues to address traditional practices affecting maternal health, including female genital mutilation in southern states. Recent initiatives include the Midwives Service Scheme to deploy midwives to rural areas and the Nigeria State Health Investment Project to strengthen primary healthcare. However, implementation gaps remain significant, with many facilities lacking essential medications, equipment, and qualified staff for emergency obstetric care.

View all Data

221.2M

Total Population (2023)

5.1

Total Fertility Rate (2023)

34.3

Newborn Mortality Rate per 1k births (2022)

5/163

Rank - Newborn Mortality (2022)

1047

Maternal Mortality per 100k births (2020)

74.6

Adolescent Birth Rate per 1k girls aged 15-19

14%

women using modern contraception age 15-49

39.4%

Facility deliveries (2016-2021)

Newborn survival is a global priority

Whether a newborn survives still greatly depends on where they are born. Over 90 percent of newborn deaths occur in Africa and Asia combined, while the risk for babies born in low-income countries is 11 times higher than babies born in high-income countries. Globally, survival rates are improving, but most countries are still falling short of the Sustainable Development Goal of less than 12 newborn deaths for every 1,000 live births.

HNN features data, resources, and knowledge from every country, as every country can be doing more to ensure newborn and maternal survival. Visit our Data page and search our database for more country-specific data.