The World Health Organization has reported that Nigeria, together with nine other nations, is responsible for the majority of hepatitis-related deaths worldwide in 2024. According to the WHO's 2026 global hepatitis report, hepatitis B and C, which cause approximately 95 percent of hepatitis fatalities, killed around 1.34 million people in 2024, with about 1.8 million new infections recorded each year.
Key Contributors to Hepatitis Deaths
The report identifies Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, and Vietnam as the countries accounting for 69 percent of hepatitis B-related deaths globally. Nigeria also appears among the top contributors to hepatitis C-related deaths, alongside China, India, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States.
Global Infection Statistics
An estimated 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infections in 2024. The African region accounted for 68 percent of new hepatitis B infections, yet only 17 percent of newborns in the region received the recommended birth-dose vaccination.
Risk Factors and Progress
The report highlights that people who inject drugs constitute 44 percent of new hepatitis C infections, emphasizing the need for improved harm reduction measures and safer injection practices. Despite the challenges, progress is being made. Since 2015, new hepatitis B infections have dropped by 32 percent, and deaths linked to hepatitis C have declined by 12 percent. The prevalence of hepatitis B among children under five has fallen to 0.6 percent, with dozens of countries meeting key global targets.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that while elimination of hepatitis is achievable, progress remains uneven and too slow to meet the 2030 goals. The WHO is urging governments to accelerate efforts by expanding vaccination coverage, improving access to testing and treatment, strengthening injection safety, and integrating hepatitis services into primary healthcare systems.
