The streets of Nigeria are alive with daily struggles, and when conversations shift to why so many people die young here, the answers are raw and real. Mrs. Josephine, a resident of Abuja, points directly to the basics. “If you go into the villages now, you’ll see poor facilities, hunger, and expensive items in the markets causing people to die young,” she says. “When people don’t have food to eat, they suffer. Also, people are dying everywhere due to accidents. If you go out now, you’ll see reckless drivers everywhere. All of these affect us.”
Pastor Blessed Samuel, a local community leader who has spent years counseling the broken, agrees. “One of the reasons people die young these days is starvation. A lot of people graduate from school with no job, and everywhere you go, you see people thinking, depression everywhere,” he explains. “In the past, we didn’t see young people having strokes, but now, young guys are falling down with strokes. Secondly, because they need help, they go into rituals or do whatever it takes to make money. That’s why people are dying young.”
Mike, another resident, adds his perspective, shaped by the constant pressures of life. “People die so young because of insecurity, the pressure from parents, especially men. The country is very hard, which leads to constant stress and high blood pressure, which causes death.”
These voices from the streets, gathered by I Fairview Africa, reflect a deeper truth that is backed by hard numbers. According to the 2024 United Nations World Population Prospects, Nigeria has the lowest life expectancy in the world at 54.9 years on average. Men fare slightly worse, with a life expectancy of 54.3 years, while women live slightly longer at 54.9 years. This places Nigeria at the bottom of a list of 25 countries with the shortest lifespans, just ahead of Chad at 55.2 years, and behind countries like South Sudan and the Central African Republic, both at 57.7 years.
The global life expectancy stands at 73.3 years in 2024, which is 8.4 years higher than it was in 1995, showing just how far behind Nigeria is in terms of healthcare and living conditions. Sub-Saharan Africa bears most of this burden, with 22 of the 25 countries with the shortest life expectancies located in the region. Countries like Lesotho, Somalia, and Mali also have short lifespans, pulling down the continent’s average.
In Nigeria, the death rate hit 10.83 per 1,000 people in 2024, down 7.73% from 2023 but still significantly higher compared to global averages.
Local residents like Josephine highlight hunger and inadequate healthcare facilities, and the statistics support this. Malnutrition is deeply tied to the country’s strained healthcare system, which suffers from low wages, poor working conditions, and absenteeism among healthcare workers in public services.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified non-communicable diseases—such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and mental health conditions—as the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. However, in Nigeria, infectious diseases remain the primary cause of death and illness, placing a heavy strain on the public health system.
For women in Nigeria, malaria and lower respiratory infections are the leading causes of death, with mortality rates of 83.5 and 83.3 deaths per 100,000 people, respectively. In men, lower respiratory infections account for 95.9 deaths per 100,000, followed closely by malaria at 84.8 deaths per 100,000. These figures underscore Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with infectious diseases that continue to claim many lives, despite global advancements in disease control.
Diarrheal diseases also contribute significantly to mortality in Nigeria, accounting for 6.92% of deaths as of the most recent data from 2021. This high mortality rate is often attributed to inadequate sanitation and limited access to clean water, particularly in rural areas and urban slums. Poor hygiene, lack of safe drinking water, and inadequate waste management exacerbate the persistence of waterborne diseases, further compounding the health crisis.
Nigeria also experiences some of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates globally. In 2023, Nigeria accounted for an alarming 29% of all maternal deaths worldwide, with an estimated 75,000 women losing their lives during childbirth. The maternal mortality ratio stood at 993 deaths per 100,000 live births, a slight decrease of 2.26% from the previous year. Infant mortality remains high at 69 deaths per 1,000 live births, with the under-five mortality rate climbing to 128 deaths per 1,000 children.
The ongoing insecurity in northern Nigeria exacerbates the country’s healthcare challenges. Armed conflicts and violence have displaced millions, particularly in the north, where access to healthcare services has become increasingly limited. Displaced populations face poor sanitation and limited access to essential health services, contributing to higher rates of communicable diseases. The lack of infrastructure and healthcare facilities in conflict zones has made people, particularly women and children, more vulnerable.
Mike’s point on insecurity rings true here. The violence has led to a brain drain as health workers flee conflict zones, worsening the health crisis in those regions.
A significant portion of the Nigerian population, particularly the very poor, chronically ill, and those living alone or food insecure, end up with unmet healthcare needs. These groups face the brunt of the country’s health issues, as they struggle to access the necessary resources for survival.
Pastor Samuel’s comments about joblessness, depression, and strokes are timely, as they align with the rise of non-communicable diseases in the country. High blood pressure, driven by the stress of economic hardship and family pressures, contributes to cardiovascular deaths. Meanwhile, rituals and quick-money schemes add another layer of risk, with tragic outcomes ranging from accidents to severe health consequences.
Authorities are aware of the scope of these challenges. The Ministry of Health has announced plans to expand universal health coverage and improve public health infrastructure, though delays in implementation have hindered progress. International organizations continue to advocate for more investment in healthcare, nutrition, and sanitation to improve living standards in Nigeria.
Despite these challenges, medical expert Dr. Raymond Kuti questions the accuracy of the reported life expectancy figures for Nigeria. He argues that the criteria used are flawed and that the true life expectancy is higher than reported. “The criteria they use is always faulty. They just want us to believe that we have a low lifespan,” he states. While acknowledging the various diseases that negatively affect life expectancy, Kuti stresses the importance of accurate data to reflect the true health status of the population.
On the streets of Nigeria, these voices Josephine’s market struggles, Pastor Samuel’s calls for mental health awareness, and Mike’s concerns about insecurity underscore the broader issues facing the nation. The United Nations report highlights that sub-Saharan Africa continues to bear the heaviest burden, with 22 of the 25 countries with the lowest life expectancy in the region. Until hunger is alleviated, roads are made safer, jobs are plentiful, and healthcare clinics are accessible in rural areas, Nigeria’s life expectancy will remain far below the global average of 73.3 years.
