Nigeria Health Statistics

Nigeria is a pretty unhealthy country. Nigeria performs the best in its smoking rate₁. It does better than average in the prevalence of overweight adults₂. However Nigeria performs less well in most areas. It does worse than average when it comes to its adolescent birth rate₃. It sits amongst the bottom 20 in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₄, its alcohol consumption rate₅ (one of the worst in Africa), its immunizations take-up₆ and in its fertility rate₇. And finally, it is second-from-the-bottom in its average life expectancy₈. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Nigeria in 1990 was 46yrs, much lower than the global average of 64.6. It improved by +6.9yrs in the 30 years from then, but this was so much less of an improvement than the global average (of +7.9yrs) that by 2016-9 it had the lowest life expectancy in the world. Nigeria's peak fertility rate was 6.92 in 1978, but regions in the north are currently above that, at a truly unmanageable 7.4₉.

1. Nigeria's Health
2. Health Datasets
   1. Life Expectancy
   2. Alcohol Consumption
   3. Fertility Rate
   4. Smoking in the 2020s
   5. Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance
   6. Overweight Adults
   7. Adult Obesity
3. Children's Health Datasets
   1. Adolescent Birth Rate
   2. Infant Immunizations 2011-2015
4. Links

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1. Nigeria's Health

#health

Compared to Africa (2025)10
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank10
1	Mauritius	73.2
2	Tunisia	73.7
3	Morocco	82.7
	...
44	Mali	132.0
45	Sudan	133.0
46	Guinea	133.2
47	Nigeria	133.6
48	Ivory Coast	134.9
49	Central African Rep.	138.3
50	Mozambique	139.6
51	Equatorial Guinea	144.8
52	Somalia	149.4
	Africa Avg	111.13
q=54.

Health (2025)10
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank10
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
	...
194	Mali	132.0
195	Sudan	133.0
196	Guinea	133.2
197	Nigeria	133.6
198	Micronesia	134.5
199	Ivory Coast	134.9
200	Iraq	135.8
201	Central African Rep.	138.3
	World Avg	96.49
q=213.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man₁₁. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Marshall Islands, The Cook Islands and S. Sudan₁₁.

27 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₁₁, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Melanesia and Australasia₁₁.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

2. Health Datasets

2.1. Life Expectancy

#demographics #health #hong_kong #immigration #japan #life_expectancy #longevity #population

Life Expectancy Higher is better8
Pos.		2021 Years8
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
188	Ivory Coast	58.6
189	Swaziland	57.1
190	Somalia	55.3
191	S. Sudan	55.0
192	Central African Rep.	53.9
193	Lesotho	53.1
194	Nigeria	52.7
195	Chad	52.5
	Africa Avg	62.79
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

In terms of its average life expectancy, Nigeria is 2nd-worst in the world - only Chad does worse, after .

Increasing longevity, and subsequent aging, is a long-term trend around the world₁₂. Global life expectancy has risen above the 70s, reaching 72, by 2016₁₃, as part of a global trend towards better health_13,14, and due to huge portions of the world being gradually lifted out of poverty. It also reflects overall improvements to cultural health, including diet, health services systems, attitudes to exercise and well-being, and also family structure and caring. For decades, Japan was well-known for having the highest average life expectancy₁₅, until the top spot was taken by Hong Kong. The regions with the best life expectancy are Europe (78.4), The Middle East (75.2) and Asia (73.2)₈ and the worst, by some way, is Africa (62.8)₈.

One effect of rising longevity is the 'demographics crisis'; where an increasing portion of the population is old and retired, putting pressure on services and taxes₁₆. The solution is for aging countries to import younger workers from elsewhere; over time, as birth rates stabilize, geriatric care improves the length of the working life, and population growth calms, this situation will stabilize.

For more, see:

• "Life Expectancy and Longevity" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Averages by decade for Nigeria (for the ranks, lower is better):

Life Expectancy	1990s  Average	2000s  Average	2010s  Average
Nigeria:	45.8	49.0	51.9
World Rank:	186th	⇣  189th	⇣  193rd
World Avg:	65.3	68.2	71.4

2.2. Alcohol Consumption

#alcohol #health #sociology

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better5
Pos.		2016 Per Capita5
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
182	Latvia	12.9
183=	Luxembourg	13.0
183=	Ireland	13.0
185	Nigeria	13.4
186=	Germany	13.4
187	Czechia	14.4
188	Lithuania	15.0
189	Moldova	15.2
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

With regard to its alcohol consumption rate, Nigeria comes 5th-worst in the world.

There is nothing wrong with drinking modest and sensible amounts of alcohol but fitness, physical health, mental health and long-term health all suffer as a result of medium- or heavy- drinking₁₇ and the health risks to the baby when pregnant mothers drink₁₈ are well-known. Aside from the effects on the individual, alcohol misuse impacts on entire economies₁₉ via increased health service costs, policing costs and lost days' work. Worldwide, alcohol misuse is "among the top five risk factors for disease, disability and death" and is a "cause of more than 200 disease and injury conditions in individuals, most notably alcohol dependence, liver cirrhosis, cancers and injuries"₂₀. "In 2012... 5.9% of all global deaths, were attributable to alcohol consumption"₂₁. Deaths from chronic alcohol misuse have been rising for decades, and so has violence, abuse, vandalism and crime all associated with alcohol over-use. The aggression and crime associated with alcohol in some Western countries infringes on the human rights of those who want nothing to do with such behaviour. Many of the social effects of alcohol are psychological and cultural; i.e., people don't have to behave criminally or destructively whilst drunk - it is a culturally learned behaviour. Experiments have shown that behaviour can be controlled: Those who do not wish to behave badly whilst drunk, will not do so.

For more, see:

• "Alcohol: The Social & Medical Effects and How to Combat Misuse" by Vexen Crabtree (2015).

2.3. Fertility Rate

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #overpopulation #population #yemen

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best7
Pos.		20227
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
198	Burkina Faso	4.67
199	Benin	4.90
200	Burundi	4.98
201	Nigeria	5.14
202	Angola	5.21
203	Mali	5.87
204	Central African Rep.	5.92
205	Congo, DR	6.11
	Africa Avg	3.97
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Nigeria comes 8th-worst in the world with regard to its fertility rate.

The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₂₂

For more, see:

• "The Population of the Earth" by Vexen Crabtree (2019).

Nigeria's fertility rate is unequal_23,9. In Lagos in the South, "women can expect to give birth to an average of 3.3 children during their lifetimes, which is what the world´s fertility rate was in 1990" yet in Katsina state in the north, the rate is over double that, at 7.4₉. Some of the factors are poverty, religion and education; the north being much poorer and mostly Muslim, and south being better-off and mostly Christian₂₄. Conservative religion in Nigeria views a large family as a blessing, encourages men to have multiple wives and discourages the use of contraception₂₃. It's not just religion, of course; in the West it was Christian communities that maintained very high fertility rates for a long time after the rest began to worry about overpopulation and sustainability. In terms of education, better education stabilizes and reduces the fertility rate towards sustainable values, but, in Nigeria public schools are controlled and funded by each state, giving the north a permanent advantage. The different in fertility rate is both a symptom, and a cause, of poverty, and this will impact on economic inequality in the country.

In terms of data, the HTF SAMDI takes account of average fertility whilst counting economic inequality in a separate data table. Most of these issues can be resolved through harmonizing the country socially, but, the religious divide has entrenched the two halves against each other. In the long-term, secularisation will help, but for now, Nigeria remains strongly religious. There may be difficult times ahead.

Averages by decade for Nigeria (for the ranks, lower is better):

Fertility Rate	1960s  Average	1970s  Average	1980s  Average	1990s  Average	2000s  Average	2010s  Average
Nigeria:	6.38	6.72	6.66	6.27	6.09	5.67
World Rank:	129th	⇣  164th	⇣  181st	⇣  190th	⇣  199th	⇣  203rd
World Avg:	5.35	4.78	4.22	3.57	3.03	2.73

2.4. Smoking in the 2020s

#cancer #democracy #health #smoking

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better1
Pos.		Total %1
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
4	Ethiopia	5.2%
5	Turkmenistan	5.6%
6	Benin	6.3%
7	Togo	6.4%
8=	Cameroon	6.5%
8=	Senegal	6.5%
10	Barbados	7.0%
11	Peru	7.2%
12	Chad	7.4%
	Africa Avg	12.4%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165.

Nigeria comes best in the world in terms of its smoking rate.

Cigarettes are the most lethal consumer product on the planet, responsible for over 7 million deaths annually₂₅ and therefore the biggest preventable cause of disease in the world₂₆. A billion people smoke₂₇. The tobacco industry has resisted with misinformation and well-funded public-relations campaigns, opposing and undermining health measures wherever it can; if defeated, firms continue the same abuses in other countries₂₈. The industry has such rich and influential lobbies that most governments find it difficult to make progress in curbing smoking rates.

If you smoke, you are more likely to drink. If you smoke or drink, you are also more likely to do drugs. Only 15% of men in the highest professional classes smoke, but 42% of unskilled workers do₂₉. Smoking is higher amongst those who are already in trouble: single mothers smoke at 55%, most homeless do and practically all drug addicts do₂₉. Smoking during late pregnancy reduces the IQ of babies by an average of 6.2 points₃₀ and causes increased antisocial behaviour. Aside from the financial cost to taxpayers and the health costs to individuals, indirect negative economic effects result from increased rates of disease and sick days lost from work.

For more, see:

• "The Side Effects of Smoking. Which Countries Smoke Most?" by Vexen Crabtree (2014).

In the 2000s, Nigeria was one of only 7 countries whose average smoking rate was less than 10%, and on average in the 2020s (so far) it has achieved the lowest smoking rate in the world.

Averages by decade for Nigeria (for the ranks, lower is better):

Smoking	2000s  Average	2010s  Average	2020s  Average
Nigeria:	8.7%	5.4%	3.3%
World Rank:	5th	⇡  2nd	⇡  1st
World Avg:	27.9%	23.5%	20.0%

2.5. Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better4
Pos.		2017 Rank4
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
147	Jamaica	147
148	Togo	148
149	Tonga	149
150	Nigeria	150
151	St Lucia	151
152	Trinidad & Tobago	152
153	Mozambique	153
154	Cape Verde	154
	Africa Avg	117.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

In terms of its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, Nigeria comes 14th-worst in the world.

2.6. Overweight Adults

#health #obesity

Overweight Adults Lower is better2
Pos.		1976 %2
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
32=	Philippines	9.1
32=	Guinea	9.1
34	Congo, DR	9.2
35=	Nigeria	9.2
36	Gambia	9.3
37	Mauritania	9.7
38	Benin	9.8
39	Togo	10.0
	Africa Avg	13.4
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Nigeria comes 34th in the world in terms of the prevalence of overweight adults.

2.7. Adult Obesity

#genetics #health #obesity #physical_fitness #public_health

Adult Obesity Lower is better31
Pos.		2022 %31
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
37	Angola	10.5%
38	Ivory Coast	10.6%
39	Sri Lanka	10.6%
40	Nigeria	10.8%
41	Djibouti	10.9%
42	N. Korea	10.9%
43	France	10.9%
44	Kenya	11.0%
	Africa Avg	13.7%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199.

Nigeria ranks 40th in the world regarding obesity rate.

About one third of the global population is overweight or obese₃₂. It's more serious than simply being overweight and causes a range of systemic health conditions including the development of Type 2 diabetes_33,34, muscle and bone degradation including osteoarthritis₃₃, cardiovascular disease (i.e. heart disease)₃₃, substantial disability₃₃, cancers (endometrial, breast and colon)₃₃, the acceleration of the ageing process₃₅ and decreased life expectancy_33,35. Health systems have to routinely cope with resultant complications, and cultural changes are having to be made₃₆, impacting on transport, resources and workplaces, with measurable effects on national economies, diverting time and resources away from other issues. In 2000, it was the world's most costly epidemic₃₆, and has continued to get worse in every region of the world every decade since₃₇.

The causes are lifestyle and culture_38,33, not genetics_39,40. Causes are processed foods, low levels of physical exercise, over-indulgence, poor choices in food products and poor knowledge of nutrition. Health experts have warned that there is no medical solution: prevention is the only possible route to reduce the cost of obesity₄₁ but the situation is made much worse by well-funded advertising campaigns by food manufacturers selling cheap mass-produced food. Even many so-called "health foods" contain well over recommended limits of fat, salt and sugar₄₂ and a range of popular fad diets capitalize on miseducated consumers to buy into costly and nonsensical schemes that falsely promise quick results₄₃.

For more, see:

• " The Modern Obesity Epidemic" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Averages by decade for Nigeria (for the ranks, lower is better):

Adult Obesity	1990s  Average	2000s  Average	2010s  Average
Nigeria:	2.9%	5.6%	8.4%
World Rank:	46th	⇣  47th	47th
World Avg:	12.5%	16.7%	21.0%

3. Children's Health Datasets

3.1. Adolescent Birth Rate

#health #parenting #population

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better3
Pos.		2022 Per 10003
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
172	Zimbabwe	92.6
173	S. Sudan	97.4
174	Sierra Leone	97.9
175	Nigeria	99.6
176	Congo, (Brazzaville)	101.2
177	Ivory Coast	103.3
178	Uganda	105.7
179	Congo, DR	107.5
	Africa Avg	84.6
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

With regard to its adolescent birth rate, Nigeria is positioned 21st-worst in the world.

Nigeria was amongst 49 countries in the 1990s who had an adolescent birth rate of over 100 (per 1000 girls aged 15-19); in the 2010s it was still amongst only 27 countries that still fell into the same grouping.

Averages by decade for Nigeria (for the ranks, lower is better):

Adolescent Birth Rate	1990s  Average	2000s  Average	2010s  Average
Nigeria:	135.8	129.0	116.2
World Rank:	171st	⇣  174th	⇣  176th
World Avg:	71.0	59.4	51.4

3.2. Infant Immunizations 2011-2015

#health #vaccines

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better6
Pos.		2015 Avg %6
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
187	Syria	62.4
188	Ukraine	55.2
189	Chad	52.5
190	Nigeria	50.0
191	Central African Rep.	49.4
192	Somalia	46.0
193	S. Sudan	45.7
194	Equatorial Guinea	36.8
	Africa Avg	81.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

When it comes to its immunizations take-up, Nigeria comes 5th-worst in the world.