Statistical Analysis of Trends and Socioeconomic Determinants of Maternal Mortality in Nigeria: A Comparative Study of NDHS 2018 and 2023 Data

This study undertakes a comparative statistical analysis of trends and socioeconomic determinants of maternal mortality in Nigeria using the 2018 and 2023-24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) datasets. Secondary analysis was conducted among women aged 15–49 years with live births in the five years preceding each survey, applying binary logistic regression, two-level multilevel modelling, Wagstaff concentration indices, and decomposition analysis. Skilled birth attendance (SBA) increased from 43.0% to 52.0% and facility-based delivery (FBD) from 39.0% to 46.0% between 2018 and 2023; however, over half of Nigerian women still deliver at home. Education, household wealth, urban residence, and ANC attendance were the strongest predictors of SBA, while state-level variance accounted for 27.4% of total variability in the null multilevel model.