Proportion of children moderately or severely wasted in Nigeria

Nigeria: Proportion of children moderately or severely wasted was 11.6% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
11.6%
Change on year
up 78.5%
World rank
4th
of 67 countries
All-time high
11.6%
in 2021
All-time low
6.5%
in 2020
Years of data
8
2003–2021

Proportion of children moderately or severely wasted in Nigeria, 2003–2021

02.557.51012.52003201220212003: 11.22011: 10.22014: 7.92015: 7.32016: 10.82018: 6.82020: 6.52021: 11.6

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2021, proportion of children moderately or severely wasted in Nigeria stood at 11.6%. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 78.5% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of children moderately or severely wasted in Nigeria peaked at 11.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 6.5%, in 2020.

Nigeria ranks 4th of 67 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

Proportion of children moderately or severely wasted in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of children moderately or severely wasted (%) in Nigeria, 2003 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2003 11.2%
2011 10.2% -8.9%
2014 7.9% -22.5%
2015 7.3% -7.6%
2016 10.8% +47.9%
2018 6.8% -37.0%
2020 6.5% -4.4%
2021 11.6% +78.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 11.2% 11.2% 11.2% 1
2010s 8.6% 6.8% 10.8% 5
2020s 9.1% 6.5% 11.6% 2

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 1 India 18.7% compare
  2. 2 Yemen 16.8% compare
  3. 3 Mauritania 13.6% compare
  4. 5 Malaysia 11.0% compare
  5. 6 Niger 10.9% compare
  6. 7 Bangladesh 10.7% compare

See the full ranking of 103 places →

More environment data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of children moderately or severely wasted in Nigeria?
Proportion of children moderately or severely wasted in Nigeria was 11.6% in 2021, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of children moderately or severely wasted recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 11.6% in 2021.
What is the lowest proportion of children moderately or severely wasted recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 6.5% in 2020.
How does Nigeria rank for proportion of children moderately or severely wasted?
Nigeria ranks 4th out of 67 countries with data for 2021.
Is proportion of children moderately or severely wasted rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of children moderately or severely wasted (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of children moderately or severely wasted in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-children-moderately-or-severely-wasted-percent/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of children moderately or severely wasted (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
103 places, 1,311 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed