WHO Global Health Observatory · 2023 data
Life Expectancy in Nigeria
Life expectancy at birth in Nigeria was 62.9 years in 2023 according to WHO: 61.4 for men and 64.5 for women. A 40-year-old man in Nigeria has on average about 33 more years, a woman about 35.
- At birth, both sexes
- 62.9 years
- Men
- 61.4 years
- Women
- 64.5 years
- World rank
- 170 of 185
- Women minus men
- +3.1 years
Data year 2023 · Source: WHO Global Health Observatory (accessed 2026-10-06), CC BY 4.0 · Last updated 2026-10-17
Nigeria · male · age 40
Years ahead, on average
At 40 in Nigeria, the average man has about 33.5 more years, to around age 73.
- Years ahead
- 33.5
- Weeks ahead
- 1,746
- Days ahead
- 12,225
Same age and sex, compared
Statistical average for everyone your age and sex in that country in 2023, not a forecast for you. Source: WHO Global Health Observatory life tables, 2023.
For entertainment and statistics only – not a medical prediction.
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Life expectancy by age in Nigeria (2023)
| Age | Men: years ahead | Men: expected age | Women: years ahead | Women: expected age | Both: years ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 61.4 | 61.4 | 64.5 | 64.5 | 62.9 |
| 1 | 65.4 | 66.4 | 67.9 | 68.9 | 66.6 |
| 5 | 64.8 | 69.8 | 67.4 | 72.4 | 66.1 |
| 10 | 60.7 | 70.7 | 63.2 | 73.2 | 61.9 |
| 15 | 56.3 | 71.3 | 58.7 | 73.7 | 57.5 |
| 20 | 51.6 | 71.6 | 54.0 | 74.0 | 52.8 |
| 25 | 47.0 | 72.0 | 49.3 | 74.3 | 48.2 |
| 30 | 42.4 | 72.4 | 44.6 | 74.6 | 43.5 |
| 35 | 37.9 | 72.9 | 40.0 | 75.0 | 38.9 |
| 40 | 33.5 | 73.5 | 35.4 | 75.4 | 34.4 |
| 45 | 29.1 | 74.1 | 30.8 | 75.8 | 30.0 |
| 50 | 24.9 | 74.9 | 26.4 | 76.4 | 25.7 |
| 55 | 20.9 | 75.9 | 22.2 | 77.2 | 21.6 |
| 60 | 17.1 | 77.1 | 18.2 | 78.2 | 17.6 |
| 65 | 13.7 | 78.7 | 14.5 | 79.5 | 14.1 |
| 70 | 10.6 | 80.6 | 11.3 | 81.3 | 10.9 |
| 75 | 8.0 | 83.0 | 8.5 | 83.5 | 8.3 |
| 80 | 5.7 | 85.7 | 5.9 | 85.9 | 5.8 |
| 85+ | 3.8 | 88.8 | 4.0 | 89.0 | 3.9 |
The calculator above interpolates between these rows for your exact age. 85+ is an open age group.
Nigeria compared with its neighbors and the world
| Country | At birth | Women | Men | Women at 65: years ahead | Men at 65: years ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | 62.9 | 64.5 | 61.4 | 14.5 | 13.7 |
| Ghana | 67.7 | 70.5 | 65.1 | 15.0 | 12.6 |
| Niger | 61.2 | 62.6 | 59.8 | 13.6 | 12.9 |
| Cameroon | 64.6 | 66.9 | 62.3 | 14.4 | 12.9 |
| World average | 73.3 | 76.1 | 70.6 | 18.8 | 16.0 |
How long people live in Nigeria
In 2023, a baby born in Nigeria could expect to live 62.9 years on average: 64.5 for girls and 61.4 for boys. That is 10.4 years below the world average of 73.3 and puts Nigeria at number 170 of the 185 countries in the WHO data. Within the WHO Africa region, Nigeria ranks 35 of 47 countries. It is ahead of Niger; it is behind Ghana and Cameroon.
Why the number grows as you get older
Life expectancy at birth includes the risks of the first years of life. Someone who has reached 65 in Nigeria has already come through them, so the average expected age for 65-year-olds is 79.1, not 62.9. Men of 65 have 13.7 years ahead on average and women 14.5. Enter your own age in the calculator to see the number for people like you, or use the life expectancy clock to watch your time ahead tick.
More countries
See all 185 countries in the life expectancy by country ranking, browse the country pages, or read how the numbers are calculated.
Frequently asked questions
What is the life expectancy in Nigeria?
According to the WHO, life expectancy at birth in Nigeria was 62.9 years in 2023 for both sexes combined. That ranks Nigeria 170 of 185 countries in the WHO data; the world average was 73.3.
What is the life expectancy for men in Nigeria?
61.4 years at birth in 2023 (WHO). A man who has reached 40 has on average 33.5 more years, and a man of 65 has 13.7 more years, to about age 78.7.
What is the life expectancy for women in Nigeria?
64.5 years at birth in 2023 (WHO). A woman of 40 has on average 35.4 more years, and a woman of 65 has 14.5 more years, to about age 79.5.
How many more years at 40, 50 and 65?
For both sexes combined in Nigeria, the WHO 2023 life table gives 34.4 more years at 40, 25.7 at 50 and 14.1 at 65. The full table by age for men and women is above.
Why do women live longer than men in Nigeria?
The gap in Nigeria is 3.1 years at birth. Across the world, women live longer on average because of a mix of biology and behavior, such as higher smoking, alcohol use and accident rates among men.
Is this a prediction for me?
No. These are averages for the whole population of Nigeria in 2023, if the chances at every age stayed as they were that year. Your own health, habits and luck can put you years above or below them.