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Fertility & birth rates in Namibia and Nigeria

Updated on by Georank team

Namibia has an annual birth rate of 25.9 births per 1,000 people, compared to 33 for Nigeria. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 3.21 in Namibia and 4.48 in Nigeria — 39.5% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -48.6% in Namibia and by -29.6% in Nigeria — in 1960, it was 6.24 and 6.36, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Namibia is ranked 49/196 by birth rate compared to 20/196 for Nigeria.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 21.6 years in Namibia, compared to 20.4 years in Nigeria.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 28.9 in Namibia — it's 29.2 in Nigeria.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 66 in Namibia vs 86.4 in Nigeria.
  • In Namibia, 25.7% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 24% in Nigeria.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +1.97% in Namibia and +2.12% in Nigeria.

Birth rate data compared

Namibia Nigeria
Fertility rate 3.21 4.48
Birth rate 25.9 33
Birth rate rank 49/196 20/196
Age at first childbirth 21.6 years 20.4 years
Average age at childbearing 28.9 years 29.2 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 64.8 81.8
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 147.3 199.7
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 50.3 68.4
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 25.7% 24%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 55.3% 18.2%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 88.2% 50.7%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.14% 0.99%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 2.41% 3.37%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 3.84% 6.01%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 4.07% 10.5%
Population change due to births and deaths +58,435 +4,834,309
Natural population change rank 90/196 3/196
Natural population change rate +1.97% +2.12%
Population growth +2.26% +2.1%
Population growth rank 43/197 50/197
Life expectancy 67.7 years 54.8 years

Fertility rate in Namibia vs Nigeria chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Namibia was 3.21 children per woman in 2023, compared to 4.48 in Nigeria in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

Check Namibia vs Nigeria population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Namibia
Factual

UN forecast
Nigeria
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Namibia Nigeria
1960 6.24 6.36
1961 6.29 6.35
1962 6.35 6.36
1963 6.41 6.35
1964 6.43 6.36
1965 6.45 6.37
1966 6.47 6.39
1967 6.49 6.4
1968 6.5 6.42
1969 6.51 6.44
1970 6.52 6.47
1971 6.52 6.53
1972 6.53 6.58
1973 6.54 6.63
1974 6.55 6.7
1975 6.53 6.77
1976 6.49 6.81
1977 6.44 6.86
1978 6.38 6.92
1979 6.31 6.89
1980 6.24 6.85
1981 6.16 6.82
1982 6.08 6.8
1983 6 6.78
1984 5.94 6.7
1985 5.88 6.62
1986 5.79 6.56
1987 5.7 6.5
1988 5.61 6.5
1989 5.52 6.49
1990 5.4 6.46
1991 5.29 6.43
1992 5.11 6.39
1993 4.91 6.35
1994 4.68 6.32
1995 4.42 6.27
1996 4.2 6.22
1997 4.17 6.14
1998 4.18 6.07
1999 4.14 6.08
2000 3.99 6.12
2001 3.83 6.13
2002 3.69 6.12
2003 3.58 6.1
2004 3.55 6.09
2005 3.57 6.06
2006 3.6 6.05
2007 3.61 6.03
2008 3.62 6.02
2009 3.63 5.99
2010 3.66 5.95
2011 3.66 5.89
2012 3.68 5.8
2013 3.65 5.69
2014 3.64 5.62
2015 3.6 5.5
2016 3.57 5.34
2017 3.51 5.18
2018 3.46 5.02
2019 3.4 4.86
2020 3.35 4.7
2021 3.3 4.64
2022 3.25 4.55
2023 3.21 4.48
2024 3.21 4.38
2025 3.17 4.3
2026 3.13 4.2
2027 3.09 4.1
2028 3.06 4.01
2029 3.02 3.92
2030 2.98 3.82
2031 2.94 3.73
2032 2.91 3.65
2033 2.88 3.56
2034 2.84 3.48
2035 2.81 3.41
2036 2.78 3.34
2037 2.75 3.27
2038 2.72 3.21
2039 2.68 3.16
2040 2.66 3.1
2041 2.63 3.04
2042 2.6 2.99
2043 2.58 2.94
2044 2.56 2.89
2045 2.53 2.85
2046 2.51 2.8
2047 2.49 2.76
2048 2.47 2.73
2049 2.45 2.69
2050 2.43 2.66

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Namibia
Factual

UN forecast
Nigeria
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Namibia Nigeria
1960 42.2% 41.1%
1961 42.4% 41.1%
1962 42.6% 41.1%
1963 42.7% 41.2%
1964 42.9% 41.4%
1965 43% 41.5%
1966 43.2% 41.7%
1967 43.3% 41.8%
1968 43.5% 42%
1969 43.6% 42.2%
1970 43.8% 42.4%
1971 43.9% 42.5%
1972 44.1% 42.8%
1973 44.3% 43%
1974 44.6% 43.2%
1975 44.8% 43.4%
1976 45% 43.7%
1977 45.3% 43.9%
1978 45.9% 44.2%
1979 46.3% 44.4%
1980 46.6% 44.6%
1981 47.1% 44.8%
1982 47.2% 45%
1983 46.9% 45.2%
1984 46.6% 45.4%
1985 46.2% 45.5%
1986 45.8% 45.6%
1987 45.3% 45.6%
1988 44.8% 45.5%
1989 43.4% 45.5%
1990 42.3% 45.3%
1991 42.2% 45.2%
1992 42.2% 45%
1993 42.2% 44.8%
1994 42.2% 44.6%
1995 42.1% 44.4%
1996 42% 44.2%
1997 41.9% 44.1%
1998 41.8% 43.9%
1999 41.7% 43.8%
2000 41.5% 43.7%
2001 41.3% 43.7%
2002 41% 43.8%
2003 40.5% 43.8%
2004 40% 43.9%
2005 39.4% 44%
2006 38.7% 44.1%
2007 38.1% 44.2%
2008 37.5% 44.3%
2009 37.1% 44.4%
2010 36.8% 44.4%
2011 36.7% 44.5%
2012 36.6% 44.5%
2013 36.6% 44.5%
2014 36.5% 44.4%
2015 36.5% 44.3%
2016 36.5% 44.1%
2017 36.7% 43.9%
2018 36.8% 43.6%
2019 37% 43.2%
2020 37.1% 42.8%
2021 37.4% 42.4%
2022 37.5% 42%
2023 37.3% 41.5%
2024 37% 41%
2025 36.7% 40.5%
2026 36.3% 40%
2027 35.9% 39.5%
2028 35.5% 39%
2029 35.1% 38.5%
2030 34.6% 38%
2031 34% 37.6%
2032 33.5% 37.2%
2033 32.9% 36.8%
2034 32.4% 36.5%
2035 31.8% 36.2%
2036 31.1% 35.9%
2037 30.6% 35.5%
2038 30.3% 35.2%
2039 30% 34.9%
2040 29.7% 34.5%
2041 29.5% 34.2%
2042 29.2% 33.8%
2043 29% 33.5%
2044 28.8% 33.1%
2045 28.5% 32.8%
2046 28.3% 32.4%
2047 28.1% 32%
2048 27.9% 31.6%
2049 27.7% 31.3%
2050 27.5% 30.9%

Children aged 0-14 make up 37% of the population in Namibia and 41% in Nigeria in 2024, compared to 42.3% and 45.3% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Namibia and Nigeria compared.

Natural population change in Namibia vs Nigeria by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.04% in Namibia and +2.29% in Nigeria. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Namibia
Nigeria

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Namibia Nigeria
1960 14,307 901,301
1961 14,936 932,111
1962 15,656 966,452
1963 16,430 995,116
1964 17,134 1,028,272
1965 17,902 1,061,840
1966 18,635 1,095,582
1967 19,498 1,082,884
1968 20,470 1,168,254
1969 21,387 1,213,484
1970 22,414 1,295,507
1971 23,467 1,373,896
1972 24,606 1,448,928
1973 25,754 1,525,485
1974 26,844 1,624,813
1975 27,882 1,718,623
1976 28,785 1,827,289
1977 29,241 1,923,917
1978 29,821 2,019,621
1979 28,930 2,074,807
1980 28,142 2,121,618
1981 27,938 2,179,884
1982 27,474 2,233,401
1983 28,307 2,292,089
1984 29,395 2,278,060
1985 30,575 2,289,784
1986 31,764 2,295,003
1987 33,340 2,322,397
1988 34,798 2,376,419
1989 37,715 2,452,324
1990 43,956 2,491,928
1991 44,523 2,527,807
1992 43,945 2,596,173
1993 42,861 2,673,675
1994 41,316 2,735,198
1995 39,119 2,830,771
1996 37,177 2,882,205
1997 37,256 2,936,500
1998 37,500 3,003,946
1999 37,233 3,155,425
2000 35,280 3,343,196
2001 32,942 3,478,370
2002 31,947 3,606,814
2003 31,115 3,751,120
2004 31,478 3,877,376
2005 32,909 4,013,788
2006 34,690 4,135,703
2007 36,430 4,265,428
2008 38,147 4,412,976
2009 39,942 4,528,149
2010 42,046 4,629,173
2011 43,557 4,728,363
2012 46,204 4,774,508
2013 47,801 4,811,751
2014 49,581 4,862,319
2015 50,846 4,823,045
2016 52,228 4,761,594
2017 52,975 4,706,183
2018 53,970 4,659,898
2019 54,769 4,609,941
2020 55,034 4,525,164
2021 50,160 4,641,562
2022 54,534 4,739,502
2023 58,435 4,834,309

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Namibia vs Nigeria

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 139 deaths per 100,000 live births in Namibia, compared to 993 deaths in Nigeria.

Namibia
Nigeria
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Namibia Nigeria
1985 354 1,344
1986 348 1,363
1987 336 1,351
1988 342 1,332
1989 306 1,304
1990 325 1,285
1991 337 1,282
1992 346 1,246
1993 354 1,200
1994 367 1,193
1995 369 1,186
1996 387 1,185
1997 383 1,184
1998 396 1,189
1999 371 1,165
2000 384 1,136
2001 376 1,130
2002 313 1,117
2003 290 1,090
2004 282 1,075
2005 344 1,060
2006 408 1,067
2007 489 1,063
2008 537 1,081
2009 547 1,088
2010 531 1,094
2011 498 1,108
2012 439 1,124
2013 402 1,146
2014 369 1,155
2015 307 1,168
2016 250 1,155
2017 213 1,142
2018 198 1,118
2019 175 1,091
2020 143 1,065
2021 254 1,046
2022 127 1,016
2023 139 993

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 4.07% in Namibia and 10.5% in Nigeria. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Namibia
Nigeria

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

Year Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births
Namibia Nigeria
1964 - 32.7%
1965 - 32%
1966 - 31.3%
1967 9.66% 30.7%
1968 9.64% 30%
1969 9.65% 29.3%
1970 9.65% 28.5%
1971 9.67% 27.7%
1972 9.68% 26.9%
1973 9.73% 26.1%
1974 9.79% 25.2%
1975 9.89% 24.4%
1976 10% 23.6%
1977 10.2% 22.9%
1978 10.3% 22.3%
1979 10.3% 21.8%
1980 10.3% 21.3%
1981 10.2% 21%
1982 9.93% 20.8%
1983 9.61% 20.7%
1984 9.22% 20.7%
1985 8.81% 20.8%
1986 8.43% 20.9%
1987 8.09% 20.9%
1988 7.81% 21%
1989 7.57% 21%
1990 7.39% 21%
1991 7.24% 20.9%
1992 7.14% 20.8%
1993 7.1% 20.7%
1994 7.13% 20.6%
1995 7.24% 20.4%
1996 7.39% 20.1%
1997 7.56% 19.7%
1998 7.7% 19.3%
1999 7.79% 18.8%
2000 7.79% 18.2%
2001 7.71% 17.7%
2002 7.61% 17.1%
2003 7.51% 16.5%
2004 7.41% 16%
2005 7.05% 15.5%
2006 6.49% 15%
2007 6.06% 14.5%
2008 5.64% 14.1%
2009 5.29% 13.8%
2010 5.08% 13.5%
2011 5.16% 13.3%
2012 5.51% 13.1%
2013 5.4% 12.9%
2014 5.31% 12.8%
2015 5.5% 12.6%
2016 5.42% 12.5%
2017 5.19% 12.3%
2018 5.01% 12%
2019 4.78% 11.8%
2020 4.57% 11.4%
2021 4.38% 11.1%
2022 4.2% 10.8%
2023 4.07% 10.5%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Namibia vs Nigeria
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