A CHILD born in Monaco can expect to live 30 years longer than a child born in Nigeria.
This is according to the World Bank Group’s 2023 life expectancy data, which puts Nigeria’s average life expectancy as 54.5 years, nearly 20 years less than the global average, as the country sits outside the world’s top 20 for life expectancy.
Monaco leads the world with an average life expectancy of 86.4 years, followed closely by San Marino and others in the top 20. Countries in the top 20 include Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Japan, Spain, Italy, Sweden, and Norway, all of which average above 83 years.
They leave countries like Nigeria and Chad where systemic failures, poverty, and instability continue to shorten lives at 30 on the global scale.
The World Bank Group compiled its data using sources such as the United Nations Population Division and Eurostat. It revealed that countries at the top are typically wealthier, with strong healthcare systems and low rates of early-life deaths while nations at the bottom often struggle with a mix of disease, malnutrition, and conflict factors that continue to shorten lives.
These countries share similarities like universal or near-universal healthcare coverage, low maternal and infant mortality, strong public health systems, high-income levels and education, and clean environments and stable governance.
The report revealed that in Japan, life expectancy hovers around 84 years, driven by preventive healthcare, diet, and social systems that prioritise ageing populations. In Switzerland and Norway, strong welfare systems and healthcare access ensure survival even in old age.
However, the United States ranks around 48th globally, with an average life expectancy of 78.4 years, significantly lower than many peer nations in Europe and Asia.
Africa’s best performers, but still behind
Across Africa, the data shows that while the continent carries the burden of some of the lowest life expectancies globally, a few countries are steadily outperforming others.
Countries often ranked among Africa’s highest life expectancy levels include Mauritius which ranks mid-to-high 70s. It is followed by Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco, which is around mid-70s. Their performances are linked to expanded primary healthcare systems, improved maternal and child health services, rising literacy and female education rates, and better control of infectious diseases.
At the lowest end of the global scale, life expectancy drops sharply into the 50s and early 60s, as Nigeria ranks 30 with 54.5 years, Chad at 55, Central African Republic at 57.4 years, South Sudan at 57.6 years, Somalia at 58.8 years, Mali at 60.4 years, and Niger at 61.2 years.
The data shows that these countries face overlapping crises like high maternal and infant mortality, limited access to healthcare facilities, malnutrition and food insecurity, conflict and displacement, weak infrastructure and underfunded public systems.
For instance, in Chad and Nigeria, preventable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and complications during childbirth continue to claim thousands of lives annually.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.