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Fertility & birth rates in Nigeria and Somalia

Updated on by Georank team

Nigeria has an annual birth rate of 33 births per 1,000 people, compared to 43 for Somalia. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 4.48 in Nigeria and 6.13 in Somalia — 36.8% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -29.6% in Nigeria and by -15.4% in Somalia — in 1960, it was 6.36 and 7.25, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Nigeria is ranked 20/196 by birth rate compared to 2/196 for Somalia.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 29.2 in Nigeria — it's 29.4 in Somalia.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 86.4 in Nigeria vs 117.1 in Somalia.
  • In Nigeria, 24% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 22.4% in Somalia.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +2.12% in Nigeria and +3.31% in Somalia.

Birth rate data compared

Nigeria Somalia
Fertility rate 4.48 6.13
Birth rate 33 43
Birth rate rank 20/196 2/196
Age at first childbirth 20.4 years n/a
Average age at childbearing 29.2 years 29.4 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 81.8 114.3
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 199.7 269
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 68.4 98.9
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 24% 22.4%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 18.2% 0.9%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 50.7% 31.9%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.99% 0.56%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 3.37% 3.49%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 6.01% 6.78%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 10.5% 10.4%
Population change due to births and deaths +4,834,309 +608,203
Natural population change rank 3/196 31/196
Natural population change rate +2.12% +3.31%
Population growth +2.1% +3.54%
Population growth rank 50/197 9/197
Life expectancy 54.8 years 59.1 years

Fertility rate in Nigeria vs Somalia chart

According to the latest available data on birth rates, the fertility rate in Nigeria was 4.48 children per woman in 2023, compared to 6.13 in Somalia in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

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

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Nigeria
Factual

UN forecast
Somalia
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Nigeria Somalia
1960 6.36 7.25
1961 6.35 7.25
1962 6.36 7.26
1963 6.35 7.26
1964 6.36 7.26
1965 6.37 7.26
1966 6.39 7.26
1967 6.4 7.25
1968 6.42 7.23
1969 6.44 7.21
1970 6.47 7.18
1971 6.53 7.15
1972 6.58 7.12
1973 6.63 7.09
1974 6.7 7.06
1975 6.77 7.03
1976 6.81 7.02
1977 6.86 7
1978 6.92 7.13
1979 6.89 7.16
1980 6.85 7.18
1981 6.82 7.23
1982 6.8 7.25
1983 6.78 7.28
1984 6.7 7.3
1985 6.62 7.33
1986 6.56 7.35
1987 6.5 7.37
1988 6.5 7.4
1989 6.49 7.42
1990 6.46 7.44
1991 6.43 7.47
1992 6.39 7.5
1993 6.35 7.53
1994 6.32 7.54
1995 6.27 7.58
1996 6.22 7.62
1997 6.14 7.66
1998 6.07 7.66
1999 6.08 7.66
2000 6.12 7.65
2001 6.13 7.64
2002 6.12 7.63
2003 6.1 7.6
2004 6.09 7.57
2005 6.06 7.53
2006 6.05 7.49
2007 6.03 7.46
2008 6.02 7.42
2009 5.99 7.38
2010 5.95 7.32
2011 5.89 7.27
2012 5.8 7.21
2013 5.69 7.14
2014 5.62 7.06
2015 5.5 6.98
2016 5.34 6.88
2017 5.18 6.77
2018 5.02 6.66
2019 4.86 6.56
2020 4.7 6.45
2021 4.64 6.35
2022 4.55 6.26
2023 4.48 6.13
2024 4.38 6.01
2025 4.3 5.91
2026 4.2 5.8
2027 4.1 5.68
2028 4.01 5.58
2029 3.92 5.47
2030 3.82 5.35
2031 3.73 5.25
2032 3.65 5.14
2033 3.56 5.04
2034 3.48 4.94
2035 3.41 4.84
2036 3.34 4.74
2037 3.27 4.63
2038 3.21 4.52
2039 3.16 4.44
2040 3.1 4.35
2041 3.04 4.26
2042 2.99 4.16
2043 2.94 4.07
2044 2.89 3.99
2045 2.85 3.91
2046 2.8 3.84
2047 2.76 3.78
2048 2.73 3.71
2049 2.69 3.65
2050 2.66 3.6

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Nigeria
Factual

UN forecast
Somalia
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Nigeria Somalia
1960 41.1% 44.4%
1961 41.1% 44.7%
1962 41.1% 44.8%
1963 41.2% 45%
1964 41.4% 45.1%
1965 41.5% 45.1%
1966 41.7% 44.9%
1967 41.8% 44.8%
1968 42% 44.7%
1969 42.2% 44.6%
1970 42.4% 44.5%
1971 42.5% 44.5%
1972 42.8% 44.4%
1973 43% 44.4%
1974 43.2% 44.4%
1975 43.4% 44.3%
1976 43.7% 44.3%
1977 43.9% 44.3%
1978 44.2% 44.4%
1979 44.4% 44.5%
1980 44.6% 44.6%
1981 44.8% 44.8%
1982 45% 45%
1983 45.2% 45.2%
1984 45.4% 45.4%
1985 45.5% 45.6%
1986 45.6% 45.8%
1987 45.6% 46%
1988 45.5% 46.3%
1989 45.5% 46.7%
1990 45.3% 47%
1991 45.2% 47%
1992 45% 46.5%
1993 44.8% 46.4%
1994 44.6% 46.5%
1995 44.4% 46.7%
1996 44.2% 46.9%
1997 44.1% 47%
1998 43.9% 47.1%
1999 43.8% 47.2%
2000 43.7% 47.4%
2001 43.7% 47.5%
2002 43.8% 47.6%
2003 43.8% 47.7%
2004 43.9% 47.9%
2005 44% 48.2%
2006 44.1% 48.6%
2007 44.2% 48.9%
2008 44.3% 48.9%
2009 44.4% 48.8%
2010 44.4% 48.7%
2011 44.5% 48.3%
2012 44.5% 47.9%
2013 44.5% 47.8%
2014 44.4% 47.7%
2015 44.3% 47.6%
2016 44.1% 47.5%
2017 43.9% 47.4%
2018 43.6% 47.3%
2019 43.2% 47.1%
2020 42.8% 47%
2021 42.4% 47%
2022 42% 46.8%
2023 41.5% 46.7%
2024 41% 46.6%
2025 40.5% 46.6%
2026 40% 46.5%
2027 39.5% 46.4%
2028 39% 46.1%
2029 38.5% 45.8%
2030 38% 45.4%
2031 37.6% 45.1%
2032 37.2% 44.7%
2033 36.8% 44.3%
2034 36.5% 43.9%
2035 36.2% 43.5%
2036 35.9% 43.1%
2037 35.5% 42.6%
2038 35.2% 42.1%
2039 34.9% 41.7%
2040 34.5% 41.2%
2041 34.2% 40.8%
2042 33.8% 40.3%
2043 33.5% 39.9%
2044 33.1% 39.4%
2045 32.8% 39%
2046 32.4% 38.6%
2047 32% 38.2%
2048 31.6% 37.8%
2049 31.3% 37.4%
2050 30.9% 37%

Children aged 0-14 make up 41% of the population in Nigeria and 46.6% in Somalia in 2024, compared to 45.3% and 47% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Nigeria and Somalia compared.

Natural population change in Nigeria vs Somalia by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.29% in Nigeria and +3.34% in Somalia. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Nigeria
Somalia

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Nigeria Somalia
1960 901,301 73,850
1961 932,111 75,513
1962 966,452 77,737
1963 995,116 79,859
1964 1,028,272 82,042
1965 1,061,840 84,448
1966 1,095,582 86,930
1967 1,082,884 89,497
1968 1,168,254 92,208
1969 1,213,484 95,045
1970 1,295,507 98,025
1971 1,373,896 101,196
1972 1,448,928 104,493
1973 1,525,485 108,038
1974 1,624,813 104,813
1975 1,718,623 108,998
1976 1,827,289 113,319
1977 1,923,917 124,818
1978 2,019,621 132,689
1979 2,074,807 151,016
1980 2,121,618 174,790
1981 2,179,884 185,211
1982 2,233,401 182,793
1983 2,292,089 190,775
1984 2,278,060 199,017
1985 2,289,784 207,960
1986 2,295,003 218,416
1987 2,322,397 231,580
1988 2,376,419 215,599
1989 2,452,324 225,255
1990 2,491,928 225,162
1991 2,527,807 53,052
1992 2,596,173 57,495
1993 2,673,675 232,960
1994 2,735,198 246,950
1995 2,830,771 254,509
1996 2,882,205 264,807
1997 2,936,500 271,894
1998 3,003,946 284,779
1999 3,155,425 295,523
2000 3,343,196 306,651
2001 3,478,370 319,059
2002 3,606,814 331,215
2003 3,751,120 341,192
2004 3,877,376 351,959
2005 4,013,788 363,117
2006 4,135,703 372,597
2007 4,265,428 380,303
2008 4,412,976 394,258
2009 4,528,149 405,784
2010 4,629,173 385,571
2011 4,728,363 203,213
2012 4,774,508 399,468
2013 4,811,751 448,518
2014 4,862,319 464,481
2015 4,823,045 481,573
2016 4,761,594 495,132
2017 4,706,183 478,556
2018 4,659,898 514,244
2019 4,609,941 548,756
2020 4,525,164 561,311
2021 4,641,562 566,399
2022 4,739,502 551,450
2023 4,834,309 608,203

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Nigeria vs Somalia

The maternal mortality rate, which is the probability of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, is 993 deaths per 100,000 live births in Nigeria, compared to 563 deaths in Somalia.

Nigeria
Somalia
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Nigeria Somalia
1985 1,344 1,465
1986 1,363 1,452
1987 1,351 1,393
1988 1,332 1,423
1989 1,304 1,395
1990 1,285 1,358
1991 1,282 1,431
1992 1,246 1,339
1993 1,200 1,195
1994 1,193 1,254
1995 1,186 1,210
1996 1,185 1,225
1997 1,184 1,206
1998 1,189 1,177
1999 1,165 1,170
2000 1,136 1,150
2001 1,130 1,129
2002 1,117 1,121
2003 1,090 1,111
2004 1,075 1,104
2005 1,060 1,086
2006 1,067 1,085
2007 1,063 1,074
2008 1,081 1,035
2009 1,088 995
2010 1,094 1,062
2011 1,108 972
2012 1,124 894
2013 1,146 855
2014 1,155 816
2015 1,168 784
2016 1,155 754
2017 1,142 716
2018 1,118 727
2019 1,091 656
2020 1,065 655
2021 1,046 726
2022 1,016 622
2023 993 563

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 10.5% in Nigeria and 10.4% in Somalia. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Nigeria
Somalia

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
Nigeria Somalia
1964 32.7% -
1965 32% -
1966 31.3% -
1967 30.7% -
1968 30% -
1969 29.3% -
1970 28.5% -
1971 27.7% -
1972 26.9% -
1973 26.1% -
1974 25.2% -
1975 24.4% -
1976 23.6% -
1977 22.9% -
1978 22.3% -
1979 21.8% -
1980 21.3% -
1981 21% -
1982 20.8% 20.1%
1983 20.7% 19.8%
1984 20.7% 19.5%
1985 20.8% 19.3%
1986 20.9% 19%
1987 20.9% 18.8%
1988 21% 18.6%
1989 21% 18.3%
1990 21% 18%
1991 20.9% 44.3%
1992 20.8% 45.6%
1993 20.7% 17.3%
1994 20.6% 17.2%
1995 20.4% 17.2%
1996 20.1% 17.2%
1997 19.7% 17.2%
1998 19.3% 17.2%
1999 18.8% 17.2%
2000 18.2% 17.2%
2001 17.7% 17.2%
2002 17.1% 17.2%
2003 16.5% 17.2%
2004 16% 17.2%
2005 15.5% 17.2%
2006 15% 17.2%
2007 14.5% 17%
2008 14.1% 16.6%
2009 13.8% 16.2%
2010 13.5% 18.6%
2011 13.3% 35.9%
2012 13.1% 18.4%
2013 12.9% 14.3%
2014 12.8% 13.8%
2015 12.6% 13.4%
2016 12.5% 13%
2017 12.3% 15.5%
2018 12% 13.6%
2019 11.8% 11.8%
2020 11.4% 11.4%
2021 11.1% 11.1%
2022 10.8% 14.3%
2023 10.5% 10.4%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Nigeria vs Somalia
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