Countries in Africa Ranked by Under-5 mortality rate (2024)
Under-5 mortality rate: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Nigeria ranks #1 with 115.6 deaths per 1,000 live births. Niger is second with 110.7 deaths per 1,000 live births, 4.4% behind. The top five are Nigeria, Niger, Somalia, Fed. Rep., Chad and South Sudan. The median across all 54 is 48.6 deaths per 1,000 live births; Libya is last at 9.8 deaths per 1,000 live births. Nigeria's figure has fallen 35% since 2000 (177.3 deaths per 1,000 live births to 115.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024).
- #1
- Nigeria · 115.6 deaths per 1,000 live births
- Median
- 48.6 deaths per 1,000 live births
- Coverage
- 54 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Under-5 mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 115.6 |
| 2 | Niger | 110.7 |
| 3 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 101.1 |
| 4 | Chad | 97.3 |
| 5 | South Sudan | 96.7 |
| 6 | Guinea | 92.1 |
| 7 | Sierra Leone | 90.5 |
| 8 | Central African Republic | 89.7 |
| 9 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 89.7 |
| 10 | Liberia | 86.4 |
| 11 | Burkina Faso | 74.9 |
| 12 | Benin | 74.7 |
| 13 | Mali | 73 |
| 14 | Equatorial Guinea | 68 |
| 15 | Guinea-Bissau | 67.3 |
| 16 | Cameroon | 64.8 |
| 17 | Zimbabwe | 64.7 |
| 18 | Côte d'Ivoire | 64.5 |
| 19 | Madagascar | 62.4 |
| 20 | Sudan | 61.6 |
| 21 | Lesotho | 60 |
| 22 | Mozambique | 59.4 |
| 23 | Togo | 56.1 |
| 24 | Angola | 49 |
| 25 | Djibouti | 48.9 |
| 26 | Malawi | 48.8 |
| 27 | Uganda | 48.7 |
| 28 | Zambia | 48.4 |
| 29 | Burundi | 47.1 |
| 30 | Eswatini | 45.1 |
| 31 | Ethiopia | 44.5 |
| 32 | Gambia, The | 42.4 |
| 33 | Namibia | 39.5 |
| 34 | Congo, Rep. | 39.1 |
| 35 | Comoros | 39 |
| 36 | Kenya | 38.8 |
| 37 | Rwanda | 37.7 |
| 38 | Tanzania | 37 |
| 39 | Mauritania | 36.9 |
| 40 | Senegal | 36.5 |
| 41 | Ghana | 35.9 |
| 42 | South Africa | 35.1 |
| 43 | Eritrea | 34.3 |
| 44 | Botswana | 33.3 |
| 45 | Gabon | 32.6 |
| 46 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 22.4 |
| 47 | Algeria | 21.6 |
| 48 | Morocco | 15.7 |
| 49 | Mauritius | 15.4 |
| 50 | Seychelles | 14 |
| 51 | São Tomé and Principe | 13.6 |
| 52 | Tunisia | 12.1 |
| 53 | Cabo Verde | 11.1 |
| 54 | Libya | 9.8 |
About the top 10
#1 Nigeria
Nigeria ranks #1 on this list with 115.6 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).
#2 Niger
Niger ranks #2 on this list with 110.7 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.
#3 Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks #3 on this list with 101.1 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).
#4 Chad
Chad ranks #4 on this list with 97.3 deaths per 1,000 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.
#5 South Sudan
South Sudan ranks #5 on this list with 96.7 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.
#6 Guinea
Guinea ranks #6 on this list with 92.1 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.
#7 Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone ranks #7 on this list with 90.5 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Capital
- Freetown
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 8.82 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$7.46 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$846.3 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in school enrolment (primary) · #7 in under-5 mortality rate · #8 in forest rents share of gdp.
#8 Central African Republic
Central African Republic ranks #8 on this list with 89.7 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 89.7 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 Liberia
Liberia ranks #10 on this list with 86.4 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.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Under-5 mortality rate: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SH.DYN.MORT. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Mortality rate, under-5 (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.