A new report has ranked Nigeria as the African country with the lowest life expectancy, with newborns in the nation projected to live an average of 54.8 years in 2025.
The ranking, based on Statista’s Forecast of Life Expectancy at Birth in Africa placed Tunisia at the top with a life expectancy of about 77 years, followed closely by Algeria, Cabo Verde, Morocco, and Mauritius, each averaging between 75 and 77 years.
The North African nation is followed closely by Algeria (76.7 years), Cabo Verde (76.4 years), Morocco (75.7 years), and Mauritius (75.3 years), making North African and island nations the region’s leaders in health and longevity.
Across the continent, the average life expectancy stands at just over 64 years, highlighting persistent disparities in access to healthcare, nutrition, and living standards between regions.
The top 10 countries with the highest projected life expectancy are: Tunisia (76.9 years), Algeria (76.7 years),
Cabo Verde (76.4 years), Morocco (75.7 years), Mauritius (75.3years), Libya (73.2 years), Seychelles (73.1years), Egypt (72.0 years), Western Sahara (71.8 years),
São Tomé and Príncipe (70.1 years)
Nigeria is the lowest at 54.8 years followed by Chad (55.4 years), the Central African Republic (57.9 years), South Sudan (57.9 years), Lesotho (58.2 years), Somalia (59.1 years), Mali (60.9 years), Guinea (61.1 years), Benin (61.1 years) Burkina Faso (61.5 years).
Higher life expectancies in North and island nations may be linked to stronger healthcare systems, higher living standards, and greater investment in education and social services. Conversely, many sub-Saharan countries continue to struggle with conflict, poverty, inadequate medical infrastructure, and a corrupt ruling elite that misallocates the country’s resources, all of which contribute to lower average life expectancies.
Statista, the global data and business intelligence platform behind the report, compiles statistics and insights from over 22,500 sources across 170 industries. Founded in Germany in 2007, the company now operates in eight locations worldwide, employing around 1,450 professionals.
Meanwhile, health experts have attributed Nigeria’s low life expectancy to a combination of factors including high infant and under-five mortality rates, insecurity, poor healthcare infrastructure, a growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), food insecurity, malnutrition, and unhealthy lifestyles.
Former president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Francis Faduyile, told LEADERSHIP Sunday the country’s poor ranking is closely tied to high child and maternal mortality rates.
“When we talk about life expectancy, it refers to the average age people are expected to live in a particular area. The major problem in Nigeria is that many children die during early childhood. Nigeria has very high neonatal and perinatal mortality rates. When you add maternal deaths and other early deaths together, it brings down the national average,” he explained.
Prof. Faduyile added that while some Nigerians live into their 80s or 90s, the high number of deaths among children and young adults drags down the national figure.
“Imagine 100 people: if 20 die between ages zero and five, and another 15 die between 15 and 30, the average age of death drops, even if others live long,” he said.
He further highlighted violent conflicts, road accidents, and inadequate management of NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer as major contributors.
“We still record too many deaths from accidents and armed conflicts. Many cancer patients also die because treatment is expensive and facilities are inadequate. To improve life expectancy, we must tackle maternal and child mortality, strengthen healthcare systems, and promote prevention and early treatment,” he noted.
Similarly, a chief consultant paediatric surgeon at the National Hospital, Abuja, Prof. Emmanuel Ameh, linked Nigeria’s low life expectancy to persistently high infant and under-five mortality rates, as well as preventable deaths among young adults.
“Nigeria has the second-highest infant and under-five mortality rate in the world, just behind India. With children under 15 making up over 40 per cent of our population, anything that affects that age group significantly impacts overall life expectancy,” he explained.
On mental health and insecurity, an associate professor of psychiatry at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, and consultant clinical psychologist at LUTH, Dr. Charles Umeh, said widespread insecurity and poor living conditions are taking a toll on Nigerians’ mental health, which in turn reduces life expectancy.
“Nigeria is like a gunpowder keg waiting to explode; the country is filled with mental health issues. Distress in internally displaced persons’ camps, insecurity, and trauma all contribute to early deaths,’ he said.
He emphasised that psychological well-being was key to longevity.
“The body must be nourished emotionally, psychologically, and mentally to function properly. When those are missing, lifespan reduces. There is no health without mental health,” he said.
While genetics play a role, Dr. Umeh told LEADERSHIP Sunday that lifestyle and stress management have a greater impact.
“Except you inherit a life-shortening disease, longevity depends largely on how you live. Managing stress well promotes resilience and longer life, but in today’s Nigeria, that’s increasingly difficult,” he added.
Speaking on how poor diet and economic hardship deepen the crisis, a food scientist and project officer for cardiovascular health at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Bukola Olukemi-Odele, said poor nutrition and worsening economic conditions were major drivers of the decline.
“Food is an integral part of human existence. When economic hardship leads to food insecurity and malnutrition, it directly affects life expectancy,” she said.
Citing the UN Global Health Report 2025, she noted that Nigeria’s life expectancy has fallen to 54.8 years, nearly 20 years below the global average of 74.4 years.
“The high cost of living has made nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, and proteins unaffordable. Children under five are exposed to malnutrition, while adults resort to processed foods high in salt and sugar, increasing the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease,” she explained.
Olukemi-Odele warned that widespread micronutrient deficiencies further worsen health outcomes and lead to early deaths.
“If you control what people eat, you control their health and quality of life,” she said.
Meanwhile, the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) showed some progress in child survival, with under-five mortality dropping from 132 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 110 deaths per 1,000 in 2024. However, it was not so for neonatal mortality, which rose slightly from 39 to 41 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Minister of state for health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, emphasised the need for renewed focus on newborn health.
“Up to 45 per cent of under-five deaths occur during the neonatal period. We must intensify efforts to tackle the leading causes of newborn deaths,” he said.
He revealed the launch of the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Initiative (MAMII) and the Nigeria Child Survival Action Plan (2025–2029) to improve outcomes through targeted interventions.
On the way forward, health experts have urged the government to take urgent action to strengthen healthcare delivery, address food insecurity, and promote healthier lifestyles. They warn that Nigeria’s life expectancy could fall even further without decisive intervention.
