Nigeria tops countries with lowest life expectancy

Monaco highest

Nigeria has been ranked the country with lowest life expectancy at an average of 54.6 years, followed by Chad — 55.2 years and South Sudan — 57.7 years.

This was contained in the United Nation’s “World Population Prospects 2024” report seen by Diaspora Digital Media (DDM).

The report covered all regions, subregions, countries and continents between 1950 and 2023.

According to the report, only African countries, including South Sudan, Central African Republic, Lesotho, Somalia, Mali, Guinea, Benin, and Burkina Faso dominated the first ten in the list.

In fact, Nauru, a small island country located in the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Australia, at 16th, is the only country that featured in the list of 25 countries with lowest life expectancy.

See the primary list below:

1. Nigeria – 54.6
2. Chad – 55.2
3. South Sudan – 57.7
4. Central African Republic – 57.7
5. Lesotho – 57.8
6. Somalia – 59.0
7. Mali – 60.7
8. Guinea – 60.9
9. Benin – 61.0
10. Burkina Faso – 61.3
11. Niger – 61.4
12. Sierra Leone – 62.0
13. Ivory Coast – 62.1
14. DR Congo – 62.1
15. Liberia – 62.3
16. Nauru – 62.3
17. Togo – 62.9
18. Zimbabwe – 63.1
19. Kenya – 63.8
20. Madagascar – 63.8
21. Burundi – 63.8
22. Mozambique – 63.8
23. Equatorial Guinea – 63.9
24. Cameroon – 64.0
25. Guinea-Bissau – 64.3

The report showed that the life expectancy for Nigerian males is 54.2 years.

On the other hand, the life expectancy for Nigerian females is 54.7 years, indicating no significant difference between male and female mortality.

The Nigerian factor

Observers have attributed the Nigerian factor to the sharp rise in terrorism, banditry, crime, and violence in the country.

According to a report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), some 15,640 Christians, including women and little children, were hacked to death by terrorists and jihadists.

Another 14,600 were abducted in two years President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The report noted that ten per cent of those abducted never made it alive from the point of their abduction.

It stated: “In the past two years of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s watch and inaction as Nigeria’s President, estimated 15,640 Christians have been killed or hacked to death by the country’s Islamic Jihadists, on average of 7,820 deaths per year, 650 per month, 22 per day and one per hour.

“During the same period, too, an estimated 14,600 defenseless Christians were abducted on the ground of their Christian Faith by Jihadists across Nigeria.

“An average of 7,300 persons per year, 608 per month, 20 per day and almost one per hour; out of which (14,600 abductees), 1,460 (ten percent) died in their abductors’ captivities.

“Out of estimated 8,200 Christians hacked to death from Jan to Dec 2023, no fewer than 5,400 died between June and December 2023.

“Not less than 6,500 Christians were hacked to death by Jihadists and 7000 abducted.

“In the outgoing first five months of 2025, not less than 2,170 Christians have been hacked to death and 2,300 others abducted, totaling at least, 15,640 Christian deaths and 14,600 abductions in the past two years.

“It is also very important to point out 1,460 defenseless Christian deaths were estimated to have been recorded which represented about 10% of those abducted.”

Countries with highest life expectancy

25 countries/lands with highest life expectancy are shown below:

1. Monaco — 86.4 years
2. San Marino — 85.7 years
3. Hong Kong — 85.5 years
4. Japan — 84.7 years
5. Republic of Korea — 84.3 years
6. Saint Barthélemy — 84.3 years
7. French Polynesia — 84.1 years
8. Andorra — 84.0 years
9. Switzerland — 84.0 years
10. Australia — 83.9 years
11. Singapore — 83.7 years
12. Italy — 83.7 years
13. Spain — 83.7 years
14. Australia/New Zealand — 83.6 years
15. Gibraltar — 83.6 years
16. Liechtenstein — 83.6 years
17. Guernsey — 83.3 years
18. Norway — 83.3 years
19. Sweden — 83.3 years
20. Malta — 83.3 years
21. France — 83.3 years
22. United Arab Emirates — 82.9 years
23. Martinique — 82.6 years
24. Canada — 82.6 years
25. Israel — 82.4 years

The report stated the various life expectancy for various regions as follows:

• World — 73.1 years
• Africa — 63.8 years
• Northern Africa and Western Asia — 73.8 years
• Central and Southern Asia — 71.7 years
• Eastern and South-Eastern Asia — 76.8 years
• Latin America and the Caribbean — 75.7 years
• Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand) — 67.7 years
• Australia/New Zealand — 83.6 years
• Europe and Northern America — 79.2 years
• Europe, Northern America, Australia, and New Zealand — 79.3 years
• More developed regions — 79.2 years
• Less developed regions — 71.7 years
• Least developed countries — 66.4 years
• High-income countries — 81.4 years
• Low-and-middle-income countries — 71.5 years
• Low-income countries — 66.9 years
• Eastern Africa — 67.0 years
• Middle Africa — 63.8 years
• Northern Africa — 71.2 years
• Southern Africa — 66.1 years
• Western Africa — 58.3 years
• Asia — 74.6 years
• Central Asia — 72.7 years
• Eastern Asia — 78.9 years
• South-Eastern Asia — 72.1 years
• Western Asia — 75.4 years
• Eastern Europe — 74.6 years
• Northern Europe — 81.4 years
• Southern Europe — 82.6 years
• Western Europe — 82.2 years
• Americas — 77.3 years
• Latin America and the Caribbean — 75.7 years
• Caribbean — 73.1 years
• Central America — 75.0 years
• South America — 76.2 years
• Northern America — 79.6 years
• Oceania — 79.1

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