Life Expectancy: Nigeria Stuck at Bottom Globally Despite Decade of Gains

Nigeria ranks lowest in the world for life expectancy, sitting at 217th out of 217 countries and territories, according to World Bank Open Data.

The country’s life expectancy stands at 54.462 years, making it also the lowest among Africa’s 54 economies and underscoring a deep and persistent public health crisis.

Global, African Rankings Paint Grim Picture

Global comparisons show a wide gap between Nigeria and the world’s healthiest nations.

Countries such as Monaco (86.372 years), San Marino (85.706 years), and Hong Kong (85.247 years) top the rankings, while Nigeria sits at the bottom, alongside Chad (55.069 years), Lesotho (57.375 years), the Central African Republic (57.408 years), and South Sudan (57.617 years), based on the World Bank data.

Within Africa, Tunisia leads with 76.508 years, followed by Algeria, Cabo Verde, Morocco, and Seychelles.

Nigeria again ranks last, reinforcing its position as the country with the lowest life expectancy on the continent.

Even among its neighbours, Nigeria trails behind.

Cameroon records 63.700 years, Niger 61.183 years, and Benin 60.774 years. Chad, the closest to Nigeria, still exceeds it by about 0.6 years.

A Decade of Slow Progress

Over the past decade, Nigeria has recorded only modest improvements.

Life expectancy rose from about 50.9 years in 2013 to roughly 56.2 years in 2022, before settling at 54.46 years in 2023, according to data reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and corroborated by historical datasets from Macrotrends.

Despite these gains, Nigeria remains far below the African average of 65 years.

Analysts say the country needs to reach at least 64.4 years to achieve meaningful economic development and poverty reduction, a position supported by research published in the Global Journal of Applied, Management and Social Sciences.

Gender and Regional Gaps Widen Inequality

Women in Nigeria continue to outlive men. In 2022, life expectancy for females stood at 57.2 years, compared to 55.1 years for males, based on NBS data.

Geography also plays a major role as states such as Cross River (62.5 years), Ekiti (62 years), and Ogun (62 years) record the highest life expectancy, while Adamawa (50.3 years), Yobe (51.4 years), and Borno (52.6 years) sit at the bottom, according to the Demographic Statistics Bulletin 2022 published by the NBS.

Infant Mortality Still a Major Drag

High child mortality continues to weigh heavily on Nigeria’s life expectancy.

Historical data from Macrotrends shows infant mortality has declined from 208.88 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1950 to a projected 52.61 by 2025.

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In the last decade alone, the rate fell from 71.4 in 2013 to 60.1 in 2023. However, Nigeria still ranks among the worst globally, with the 10th highest infant mortality rate.

Vaccination gaps are worsening the situation as the share of children receiving no vaccines rose to 30 per cent in 2024 from 19 per cent in 2018, according to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey compiled by the Development Research and Projects Centre.

Disease Burden: Old Threats, New Pressures

Nigeria’s low life expectancy is largely driven by disease.

Infectious illnesses such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, diarrhoeal diseases, and respiratory infections remain leading causes of death, according to reports by The Guardian Nigeria and global health studies.

At the same time, non-communicable diseases are rising.

Conditions like hypertension and diabetes now claim nearly 600 lives per 100,000 Nigerians and are increasingly replacing infectious diseases as the main drivers of mortality, findings supported by research published on PubMed Central.

Diagnosis remains a challenge. Only a small fraction of Nigerians are aware of their condition, despite higher estimated prevalence rates.

Malnutrition, Poverty and Poor Living Conditions

Basic living conditions continue to undermine health outcomes.

Malnutrition accounts for 54 per cent of under-five deaths, while poor access to clean water and sanitation fuels disease outbreaks.

Only 68.5 per cent of Nigerians have access to clean water, and just 29 per cent use improved sanitation facilities, according to global datasets from the World Health Organisation and UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Poverty also plays a major role, with millions unable to afford adequate nutrition or healthcare.

Healthcare System Under Strain

Nigeria’s healthcare system remains underfunded.

Government health spending stood at just 3.6 per cent of GDP in 2021, below recommended levels, based on data from the World Health Organisation’s Global Health Expenditure Database.

Out-of-pocket payments account for 77 per cent of total health spending, the highest in West Africa, making access difficult for many households.

The system is further weakened by a shortage of skilled professionals and an underdeveloped primary healthcare infrastructure.

Regional Comparison Shows Nigeria Falling Behind

Despite its size and spending, Nigeria performs worse than several West African peers on key health indicators.

Countries such as Senegal and Mauritania achieve better outcomes, including higher life expectancy and lower mortality rates, according to a comparative study published on PubMed Central.

Nigeria also ranks poorly in measures such as years of life lost and disability-adjusted life years within the region.

A Slow Climb, But Still at the Bottom

Nigeria’s life expectancy has improved gradually over time, supported by gains in sanitation, vaccination, and maternal care.

However, these gains have not been enough to lift the country from the bottom of global rankings.

With rising chronic diseases, persistent poverty, weak healthcare systems, and ongoing conflict, the country faces a complex challenge.

Without stronger investment and reforms, the gap between Nigeria and the rest of the world may continue to widen, leaving millions with shorter lives than their global peers.