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Fertility & birth rates in Nigeria and Spain

Updated on by Georank team

Nigeria has an annual birth rate of 33 births per 1,000 people, compared to 6.7 for Spain. The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — the fertility rate, is 4.48 in Nigeria and 1.12 in Spain — 75% difference.

1960 vs 2023, the fertility rate has decreased by -29.6% in Nigeria and by -60.8% in Spain — in 1960, it was 6.36 and 2.86, respectively.

Birth rates facts compared:

  • Nigeria is ranked 20/196 by birth rate compared to 189/196 for Spain.
  • The mean age for first-time mothers is 20.4 years in Nigeria, compared to 31.5 years in Spain.
  • The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 29.2 in Nigeria — it's 32.5 in Spain.
  • Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) is 86.4 in Nigeria vs 4.81 in Spain.
  • In Nigeria, 24% of the population is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), compared to 21.3% in Spain.
  • Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was +2.12% in Nigeria and -0.23% in Spain.

Birth rate data compared

Nigeria Spain
Fertility rate 4.48 1.12
Birth rate 33 6.7
Birth rate rank 20/196 189/196
Age at first childbirth 20.4 years 31.5 years
Average age at childbearing 29.2 years 32.5 years
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 81.8 4.92
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29 199.7 34.4
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+ 68.4 13.5
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population 24% 21.3%
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49 18.2% 59.9%
Share of births attended by skilled health staff 50.7% 99.9%
Maternal mortality per live birth 0.99% 0.003%
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age) 3.37% 0.17%
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age) 6.01% 0.26%
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age, per 1,000 live births 10.5% 0.31%
Population change due to births and deaths +4,834,309 -111,201
Natural population change rank 3/196 189/196
Natural population change rate +2.12% -0.23%
Population growth +2.1% +0.95%
Population growth rank 50/197 108/197
Life expectancy 54.8 years 84 years

Fertility rate in Nigeria vs Spain 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 1.12 in Spain in 2023. The replacement level is considered to be 2.1 children per woman.

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

The chart below showcases historical changes in the birth rates.

Nigeria
Factual

UN forecast
Spain
Factual

UN forecast

Births per woman

Year Fertility rate
Nigeria Spain
1960 6.36 2.86
1961 6.35 2.77
1962 6.36 2.8
1963 6.35 2.88
1964 6.36 3.01
1965 6.37 2.94
1966 6.39 2.91
1967 6.4 2.94
1968 6.42 2.87
1969 6.44 2.86
1970 6.47 2.84
1971 6.53 2.9
1972 6.58 2.87
1973 6.63 2.84
1974 6.7 2.88
1975 6.77 2.77
1976 6.81 2.77
1977 6.86 2.65
1978 6.92 2.54
1979 6.89 2.37
1980 6.85 2.22
1981 6.82 2.04
1982 6.8 1.94
1983 6.78 1.8
1984 6.7 1.73
1985 6.62 1.64
1986 6.56 1.56
1987 6.5 1.49
1988 6.5 1.45
1989 6.49 1.4
1990 6.46 1.36
1991 6.43 1.33
1992 6.39 1.31
1993 6.35 1.26
1994 6.32 1.19
1995 6.27 1.16
1996 6.22 1.14
1997 6.14 1.15
1998 6.07 1.13
1999 6.08 1.17
2000 6.12 1.22
2001 6.13 1.23
2002 6.12 1.25
2003 6.1 1.3
2004 6.09 1.31
2005 6.06 1.33
2006 6.05 1.36
2007 6.03 1.38
2008 6.02 1.45
2009 5.99 1.38
2010 5.95 1.37
2011 5.89 1.34
2012 5.8 1.32
2013 5.69 1.27
2014 5.62 1.32
2015 5.5 1.33
2016 5.34 1.33
2017 5.18 1.31
2018 5.02 1.26
2019 4.86 1.23
2020 4.7 1.18
2021 4.64 1.18
2022 4.55 1.16
2023 4.48 1.12
2024 4.38 1.13
2025 4.3 1.14
2026 4.2 1.14
2027 4.1 1.15
2028 4.01 1.16
2029 3.92 1.16
2030 3.82 1.17
2031 3.73 1.17
2032 3.65 1.18
2033 3.56 1.18
2034 3.48 1.19
2035 3.41 1.19
2036 3.34 1.2
2037 3.27 1.2
2038 3.21 1.2
2039 3.16 1.21
2040 3.1 1.21
2041 3.04 1.22
2042 2.99 1.23
2043 2.94 1.23
2044 2.89 1.24
2045 2.85 1.24
2046 2.8 1.24
2047 2.76 1.25
2048 2.73 1.25
2049 2.69 1.25
2050 2.66 1.26

Children 0-14 years as share of population

Nigeria
Factual

UN forecast
Spain
Factual

UN forecast
Year Share of people 0-14 years old
Nigeria Spain
1960 41.1% 27.4%
1961 41.1% 27.4%
1962 41.1% 27.4%
1963 41.2% 27.4%
1964 41.4% 27.4%
1965 41.5% 27.5%
1966 41.7% 27.6%
1967 41.8% 27.7%
1968 42% 27.8%
1969 42.2% 27.8%
1970 42.4% 27.9%
1971 42.5% 27.8%
1972 42.8% 27.8%
1973 43% 27.7%
1974 43.2% 27.5%
1975 43.4% 27.3%
1976 43.7% 27.2%
1977 43.9% 27%
1978 44.2% 26.8%
1979 44.4% 26.4%
1980 44.6% 26%
1981 44.8% 25.5%
1982 45% 24.9%
1983 45.2% 24.4%
1984 45.4% 23.8%
1985 45.5% 23.2%
1986 45.6% 22.5%
1987 45.6% 21.9%
1988 45.5% 21.2%
1989 45.5% 20.5%
1990 45.3% 19.8%
1991 45.2% 19.1%
1992 45% 18.4%
1993 44.8% 17.8%
1994 44.6% 17.2%
1995 44.4% 16.6%
1996 44.2% 16.1%
1997 44.1% 15.7%
1998 43.9% 15.3%
1999 43.8% 15%
2000 43.7% 14.8%
2001 43.7% 14.7%
2002 43.8% 14.6%
2003 43.8% 14.5%
2004 43.9% 14.5%
2005 44% 14.5%
2006 44.1% 14.5%
2007 44.2% 14.6%
2008 44.3% 14.7%
2009 44.4% 14.8%
2010 44.4% 14.9%
2011 44.5% 15%
2012 44.5% 15.1%
2013 44.5% 15.1%
2014 44.4% 15.1%
2015 44.3% 15%
2016 44.1% 14.9%
2017 43.9% 14.8%
2018 43.6% 14.7%
2019 43.2% 14.4%
2020 42.8% 14.2%
2021 42.4% 13.9%
2022 42% 13.6%
2023 41.5% 13.3%
2024 41% 12.9%
2025 40.5% 12.6%
2026 40% 12.3%
2027 39.5% 12.1%
2028 39% 11.8%
2029 38.5% 11.6%
2030 38% 11.4%
2031 37.6% 11.2%
2032 37.2% 11%
2033 36.8% 10.9%
2034 36.5% 10.8%
2035 36.2% 10.7%
2036 35.9% 10.7%
2037 35.5% 10.7%
2038 35.2% 10.8%
2039 34.9% 10.8%
2040 34.5% 10.8%
2041 34.2% 10.9%
2042 33.8% 11%
2043 33.5% 11%
2044 33.1% 11.1%
2045 32.8% 11.2%
2046 32.4% 11.3%
2047 32% 11.3%
2048 31.6% 11.4%
2049 31.3% 11.5%
2050 30.9% 11.5%

Children aged 0-14 make up 41% of the population in Nigeria and 12.9% in Spain in 2024, compared to 45.3% and 19.8% respectively in 1990.

Demographics of Nigeria and Spain compared.

Natural population change in Nigeria vs Spain by year

For the past 10 years, the annual natural population change (excluding migration) has been +2.29% in Nigeria and -0.13% in Spain. The chart below illustrates the comparison of the absolute yearly changes resulting from births and deaths.

Nigeria
Spain

Natural population change

Year Population change due to births and deaths
Nigeria Spain
1960 901,301 398,960
1961 932,111 396,537
1962 966,452 384,690
1963 995,116 394,338
1964 1,028,272 429,885
1965 1,061,840 405,819
1966 1,095,582 397,084
1967 1,082,884 402,001
1968 1,168,254 387,423
1969 1,213,484 367,851
1970 1,295,507 378,723
1971 1,373,896 369,625
1972 1,448,928 391,030
1973 1,525,485 374,381
1974 1,624,813 396,182
1975 1,718,623 371,882
1976 1,827,289 375,834
1977 1,923,917 361,465
1978 2,019,621 339,157
1979 2,074,807 312,407
1980 2,121,618 281,184
1981 2,179,884 237,879
1982 2,233,401 231,714
1983 2,292,089 183,223
1984 2,278,060 172,487
1985 2,289,784 146,184
1986 2,295,003 131,188
1987 2,322,397 116,054
1988 2,376,419 100,794
1989 2,452,324 81,538
1990 2,491,928 66,075
1991 2,527,807 58,450
1992 2,596,173 62,652
1993 2,673,675 47,234
1994 2,735,198 31,639
1995 2,830,771 15,889
1996 2,882,205 11,967
1997 2,936,500 20,028
1998 3,003,946 4,022
1999 3,155,425 8,077
2000 3,343,196 36,512
2001 3,478,370 44,936
2002 3,606,814 53,861
2003 3,751,120 54,844
2004 3,877,376 85,844
2005 4,013,788 78,576
2006 4,135,703 110,994
2007 4,265,428 108,545
2008 4,412,976 133,267
2009 4,528,149 106,635
2010 4,629,173 102,469
2011 4,728,363 84,137
2012 4,774,508 51,450
2013 4,811,751 37,284
2014 4,862,319 32,522
2015 4,823,045 -4,642
2016 4,761,594 0
2017 4,706,183 -32,600
2018 4,659,898 -56,139
2019 4,609,941 -56,542
2020 4,525,164 -151,551
2021 4,641,562 -113,865
2022 4,739,502 -133,801
2023 4,834,309 -111,201

Fertility rates around the globe

Fertility rate

Maternal mortality chart: Nigeria vs Spain

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 3 deaths in Spain.

Nigeria
Spain
Year Maternal mortality per 100K births
Nigeria Spain
1985 1,344 6
1986 1,363 7
1987 1,351 7
1988 1,332 7
1989 1,304 7
1990 1,285 6
1991 1,282 6
1992 1,246 6
1993 1,200 6
1994 1,193 6
1995 1,186 6
1996 1,185 6
1997 1,184 5
1998 1,189 5
1999 1,165 5
2000 1,136 5
2001 1,130 5
2002 1,117 5
2003 1,090 4
2004 1,075 5
2005 1,060 5
2006 1,067 4
2007 1,063 4
2008 1,081 4
2009 1,088 4
2010 1,094 4
2011 1,108 4
2012 1,124 4
2013 1,146 4
2014 1,155 4
2015 1,168 4
2016 1,155 3
2017 1,142 3
2018 1,118 3
2019 1,091 3
2020 1,065 4
2021 1,046 4
2022 1,016 4
2023 993 3

Under-five mortality rates

The chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five is 10.5% in Nigeria and 0.31% in Spain. Below is the historical data on under-five mortality rates.

Nigeria
Spain

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 Spain
1960 - 5.47%
1961 - 5.2%
1962 - 4.94%
1963 - 4.68%
1964 32.7% 4.45%
1965 32% 4.23%
1966 31.3% 4.03%
1967 30.7% 3.83%
1968 30% 3.61%
1969 29.3% 3.39%
1970 28.5% 3.16%
1971 27.7% 2.94%
1972 26.9% 2.72%
1973 26.1% 2.52%
1974 25.2% 2.33%
1975 24.4% 2.17%
1976 23.6% 2.02%
1977 22.9% 1.87%
1978 22.3% 1.74%
1979 21.8% 1.61%
1980 21.3% 1.49%
1981 21% 1.38%
1982 20.8% 1.3%
1983 20.7% 1.23%
1984 20.7% 1.17%
1985 20.8% 1.11%
1986 20.9% 1.07%
1987 20.9% 1.03%
1988 21% 0.99%
1989 21% 0.95%
1990 21% 0.92%
1991 20.9% 0.88%
1992 20.8% 0.83%
1993 20.7% 0.79%
1994 20.6% 0.74%
1995 20.4% 0.69%
1996 20.1% 0.65%
1997 19.7% 0.61%
1998 19.3% 0.58%
1999 18.8% 0.56%
2000 18.2% 0.54%
2001 17.7% 0.53%
2002 17.1% 0.51%
2003 16.5% 0.5%
2004 16% 0.49%
2005 15.5% 0.47%
2006 15% 0.45%
2007 14.5% 0.44%
2008 14.1% 0.42%
2009 13.8% 0.4%
2010 13.5% 0.38%
2011 13.3% 0.37%
2012 13.1% 0.36%
2013 12.9% 0.35%
2014 12.8% 0.34%
2015 12.6% 0.33%
2016 12.5% 0.33%
2017 12.3% 0.32%
2018 12% 0.32%
2019 11.8% 0.32%
2020 11.4% 0.32%
2021 11.1% 0.31%
2022 10.8% 0.31%
2023 10.5% 0.31%

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Birth rate comparisons

Birth rate vs Nigeria vs Spain
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