Countries in Africa Ranked by Maternal mortality ratio (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Nigeria ranks #1 with 993 deaths per 100,000 live births. Chad is second with 748 deaths per 100,000 live births, 32.8% behind. The top five are Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan and Liberia. The median across all 54 is 239 deaths per 100,000 live births; Egypt, Arab Rep. is last at 17 deaths per 100,000 live births. Nigeria's figure has fallen 15% since 1999 (1,165 deaths per 100,000 live births to 993 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023).
- #1
- Nigeria · 993 deaths per 100,000 live births
- Median
- 239 deaths per 100,000 live births
- Coverage
- 54 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2023
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Maternal mortality ratio (deaths per 100,000 live births) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 993 |
| 2 | Chad | 748 |
| 3 | Central African Republic | 692 |
| 4 | South Sudan | 692 |
| 5 | Liberia | 628 |
| 6 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 563 |
| 7 | Benin | 518 |
| 8 | Guinea-Bissau | 505 |
| 9 | Guinea | 494 |
| 10 | Lesotho | 478 |
| 11 | Madagascar | 445 |
| 12 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 427 |
| 13 | Burundi | 392 |
| 14 | Mauritania | 381 |
| 15 | Mali | 367 |
| 16 | Côte d'Ivoire | 359 |
| 17 | Zimbabwe | 358 |
| 18 | Gambia, The | 354 |
| 19 | Sierra Leone | 354 |
| 20 | Niger | 350 |
| 21 | Togo | 349 |
| 22 | Eritrea | 291 |
| 23 | Tanzania | 276 |
| 24 | Cameroon | 258 |
| 25 | Sudan | 256 |
| 26 | Burkina Faso | 242 |
| 27 | Congo, Rep. | 241 |
| 28 | Senegal | 237 |
| 29 | Ghana | 234 |
| 30 | Gabon | 233 |
| 31 | Rwanda | 229 |
| 32 | Malawi | 225 |
| 33 | Ethiopia | 195 |
| 34 | Angola | 183 |
| 35 | Comoros | 179 |
| 36 | Equatorial Guinea | 174 |
| 37 | Uganda | 170 |
| 38 | Djibouti | 162 |
| 39 | Botswana | 155 |
| 40 | Kenya | 149 |
| 41 | Namibia | 139 |
| 42 | Eswatini | 118 |
| 43 | South Africa | 118 |
| 44 | Mozambique | 99 |
| 45 | Zambia | 85 |
| 46 | São Tomé and Principe | 75 |
| 47 | Morocco | 70 |
| 48 | Mauritius | 66 |
| 49 | Algeria | 62 |
| 50 | Libya | 59 |
| 51 | Seychelles | 42 |
| 52 | Cabo Verde | 40 |
| 53 | Tunisia | 36 |
| 54 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 17 |
About the top 10
#1 Nigeria
Nigeria ranks #1 on this list with 993 deaths per 100,000 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).
#2 Chad
Chad ranks #2 on this list with 748 deaths per 100,000 live births.
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,022 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 55.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 27.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: N'Djamena.
Also ranks #1 in fertility rate · #2 in birth rate · #2 in maternal mortality ratio.
#3 Central African Republic
Central African Republic ranks #3 on this list with 692 deaths per 100,000 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).
#4 South Sudan
South Sudan ranks #4 on this list with 692 deaths per 100,000 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.
#5 Liberia
Liberia ranks #5 on this list with 628 deaths per 100,000 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 Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks #6 on this list with 563 deaths per 100,000 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).
#7 Benin
Benin ranks #7 on this list with 518 deaths per 100,000 live births.
- Capital
- Porto-Novo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 14.81 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$24.57 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,658 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 53.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in maternal mortality ratio · #10 in female labour force participation · #10 in livestock production index.
#8 Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau ranks #8 on this list with 505 deaths per 100,000 live births.
- Capital
- Bissau
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 2.25 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.53 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,124 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 64.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 46.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #5 in forest rents share of gdp · #7 in low-birthweight babies share.
#9 Guinea
Guinea ranks #9 on this list with 494 deaths per 100,000 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.
#10 Lesotho
Lesotho ranks #10 on this list with 478 deaths per 100,000 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
Maternal mortality ratio: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SH.STA.MMRT. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births): Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO); UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), note: Trends in Maternal Mortality; UN Population Fund (UNFPA), note: Trends in Maternal Mortality.
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.