Recent data from Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals that the country’s average life expectancy increased to 56.2 years in 2022, a slight improvement from the 55.1 years recorded in 2018. This modest rise signifies a slow but steady increase in the life expectancy of Nigerians over recent years.
In terms of gender, men in Nigeria have an average life expectancy of 55.1 years, while women have a slightly higher life expectancy of 57.2 years, as per the latest NBS report. This marks a small shift from 2018 when the national average life expectancy was 55 years, with Nigerian men expected to live 54 years and women 56.1 years on average.
Life expectancy, a key demographic and health indicator, provides valuable insights into the general health and longevity of a population. It reflects the average number of years a newborn can expect to live, assuming the current mortality rates persist throughout their lifetime. As such, it serves as a crucial measure of a country’s health infrastructure and societal well-being.
While the increase in life expectancy in Nigeria is a positive development, experts believe that the nation still has a long way to go. Economists Olukemi Lawanson and Dominic Ikoh Umar from the University of Lagos argue that Nigeria needs an average life expectancy of 64.4 years to achieve sustainable economic growth and significant poverty reduction. Their research, published in 2021, suggests that improving health outcomes is directly linked to economic development. For Nigeria to attain these goals, they stress the importance of health policies that target a higher life expectancy threshold, moving beyond the current national average of 47.8 years.
State-level disparities in life expectancy are also evident. Cross River boasts the highest life expectancy in the country at 62.5 years, followed by Ekiti and Ogun, both with 62 years. Imo and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also report higher-than-average life expectancies of 61.4 years. Conversely, states such as Kaduna, Borno, Plateau, Yobe, and Adamawa have some of the lowest life expectancies, ranging from 50.3 years in Adamawa to 53.2 years in Kaduna.
Breaking it down by gender, men in Cross River, Ekiti, Ogun, and Imo states live the longest, with an average life expectancy of around 59.6 years, while men in states like Kaduna, Plateau, Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa face much lower life expectancy, with figures hovering around 50 years. For women, Cross River also leads with the highest life expectancy at 65.4 years, followed by Ekiti, Ogun, and the FCT, where women can expect to live to about 64.3 years. Meanwhile, women in states like Kaduna and Borno have life expectancies as low as 56.1 years.
Despite the positive trend in life expectancy, Nigeria still faces significant challenges in improving its overall health outcomes. Regionally, the West African sub-region, where Nigeria is located, lags behind other parts of Africa in terms of life expectancy. According to Statista, North Africa records the highest life expectancy on the continent, with men living an average of 71 years and women reaching 75 years. In East Africa, men live for 61 years on average, while women live to about 67 years. Southern Africa also performs better, with men living for 59 years and women for 65 years. Central Africa reports an average of 58 years for men and 62 years for women.
In comparison, Nigeria’s life expectancy remains below the West African average, where men are expected to live to 57 years and women to 59 years. This underscores the need for continued efforts to address health disparities and implement policies that can enhance life expectancy and quality of life for Nigerians.
