Countries in Africa Ranked by Infant mortality rate (2024)
Infant mortality rate: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
South Sudan ranks #1 with 71.9 deaths per 1,000 live births. Nigeria is second with 69.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, 3% behind. The top five are South Sudan, Nigeria, Niger, Somalia, Fed. Rep. and Liberia. The median across all 54 is 35.5 deaths per 1,000 live births; Libya is last at 7.9 deaths per 1,000 live births. South Sudan's figure has fallen 39% since 2000 (118.2 deaths per 1,000 live births to 71.9 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024).
- #1
- South Sudan · 71.9 deaths per 1,000 live births
- Median
- 35.5 deaths per 1,000 live births
- Coverage
- 54 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Sudan | 71.9 |
| 2 | Nigeria | 69.8 |
| 3 | Niger | 65.6 |
| 4 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 65.4 |
| 5 | Liberia | 63.2 |
| 6 | Zimbabwe | 62.4 |
| 7 | Guinea | 59.8 |
| 8 | Central African Republic | 58.8 |
| 9 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 56.4 |
| 10 | Lesotho | 56.3 |
| 11 | Chad | 56.3 |
| 12 | Sierra Leone | 54.6 |
| 13 | Equatorial Guinea | 47.6 |
| 14 | Mali | 47.5 |
| 15 | Benin | 45.2 |
| 16 | Côte d'Ivoire | 44.8 |
| 17 | Mozambique | 43.7 |
| 18 | Burkina Faso | 43.6 |
| 19 | Djibouti | 43 |
| 20 | Madagascar | 43 |
| 21 | Sudan | 42.9 |
| 22 | Eswatini | 42.2 |
| 23 | Guinea-Bissau | 42.1 |
| 24 | Cameroon | 40.2 |
| 25 | Malawi | 38 |
| 26 | Namibia | 36.4 |
| 27 | Uganda | 35.9 |
| 28 | Comoros | 35 |
| 29 | Togo | 34.8 |
| 30 | Zambia | 34.6 |
| 31 | Ethiopia | 34.5 |
| 32 | Kenya | 34.2 |
| 33 | Gambia, The | 32.7 |
| 34 | Angola | 32.1 |
| 35 | Botswana | 32.1 |
| 36 | Burundi | 30.5 |
| 37 | Mauritania | 30.2 |
| 38 | Rwanda | 29.4 |
| 39 | Senegal | 28.9 |
| 40 | Tanzania | 28.7 |
| 41 | Ghana | 27.5 |
| 42 | Congo, Rep. | 27 |
| 43 | Gabon | 25.9 |
| 44 | Eritrea | 24.7 |
| 45 | South Africa | 24.2 |
| 46 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 20.8 |
| 47 | Algeria | 19.5 |
| 48 | Morocco | 14.7 |
| 49 | Mauritius | 13.8 |
| 50 | Seychelles | 12.9 |
| 51 | Cabo Verde | 10.6 |
| 52 | Tunisia | 9.7 |
| 53 | São Tomé and Principe | 9.2 |
| 54 | Libya | 7.9 |
About the top 10
#1 South Sudan
South Sudan ranks #1 on this list with 71.9 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Juba
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 12.19 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.7% of population (2025)
- Currency
- South Sudanese pound
- Official languages
- English
Also ranks #1 in infant mortality rate · #4 in inflation rate · #4 in maternal mortality ratio.
#2 Nigeria
Nigeria ranks #2 on this list with 69.8 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Abuja
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 237.53 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$290.79 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,224 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 54.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt.
Also ranks #1 in under-5 mortality rate · #1 in maternal mortality ratio · #1 in children out of school (primary).
#3 Niger
Niger ranks #3 on this list with 65.6 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Niamey
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 27.92 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.65 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$775.4 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 18.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Niamey.
Also ranks #1 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #2 in under-5 mortality rate · #3 in population ages 0-14 share.
#4 Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks #4 on this list with 65.4 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Mogadishu
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 19.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$13 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$661.2 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 59 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: North East State of Somalia, Mogadishu.
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of undernourishment · #2 in population ages 0-14 share · #2 in age dependency ratio (young).
#5 Liberia
Liberia ranks #5 on this list with 63.2 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Monrovia
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 5.73 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$5.25 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$915.3 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 56.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Monrovia.
Also ranks #2 in forest rents share of gdp · #3 in renewable energy share · #5 in infant mortality rate.
#6 Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe ranks #6 on this list with 62.4 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Harare
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 16.95 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$51.22 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,021 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 40.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Harare, Masvingo.
Also ranks #2 in lending interest rate · #3 in inflation rate · #4 in income share of richest 10%.
#7 Guinea
Guinea ranks #7 on this list with 59.8 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Conakry
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 15.1 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$28.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,877 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 60.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 38.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Conakry.
Also ranks #6 in under-5 mortality rate · #7 in infant mortality rate · #7 in official exchange rate.
#8 Central African Republic
Central African Republic ranks #8 on this list with 58.8 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Bangui
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 5.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$556.1 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in population ages 0-14 share · #1 in age dependency ratio · #1 in age dependency ratio (young).
#9 Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks #9 on this list with 56.4 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 112.83 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$91.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$806.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, Kananga.
Also ranks #1 in renewable energy share · #1 in poverty headcount ratio · #1 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#10 Lesotho
Lesotho ranks #10 on this list with 56.3 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Maseru
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 2.36 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.57 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,089 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in tax revenue share of gdp · #1 in suicide mortality rate · #2 in agricultural land share.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Infant mortality rate: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.DYN.IMRT.IN. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births): UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF); World Health Organization (WHO); World Bank (WB).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.