Why Nigeria has the world’s lowest life expectancy
Nigeria has been ranked by the United Nations as the country with the lowest life expectancy globally, with an average lifespan of 54.9 years.
Men are projected to live on average 54.3 years, while women live marginally longer at 54.9 years.
This ranking places Nigeria at the bottom of a group of 25 countries with the shortest life expectancies. Just above it are Chad (55.2 years), and then South Sudan and the Central African Republic at 57.7 years.
22 out of those 25 lowest‑ranking nations are located in sub‑Saharan Africa, among them Lesotho (57.8 years), Somalia (59.0), and Mali (60.7).
Public health experts cite several deep‑rooted causes for Nigeria’s low ranking. High rates of maternal and infant mortality, weak access to quality healthcare, and persistent insecurity in parts of the country all contribute to life being cut short. Diseases, both communicable (malaria, HIV, tuberculosis) and noncommunicable (heart disease, cancer, diabetes), also take a heavy toll.
However, some voices have raised doubts about the precision of the UN’s estimates. Medical expert Dr Raymond Kuti argued that the methods and data used may not fully capture Nigerians’ true life expectancy, suggesting the published figure might understate what people actually experience. He acknowledged that disease burden plays a role, but emphasised the importance of better data collection and transparency.
As global attention turns to rising health inequalities, Nigeria’s government faces mounting pressure to not only invest in healthcare but also address the root causes of early death: poverty, insecurity, and underfunded infrastructure.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
