Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Nigeria
Nigeria: Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth was 0.5671 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Nigeria, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Nigeria stood at 0.5671.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.9% on the previous year and down 20.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Nigeria peaked at 4.92 in 1967 and was at its lowest, 0.4718, in 2019.
That places Nigeria 235th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.95 | — |
| 1951 | 3.97 | +0.5% |
| 1952 | 3.91 | -1.6% |
| 1953 | 3.98 | +1.8% |
| 1954 | 3.96 | -0.4% |
| 1955 | 4.21 | +6.3% |
| 1956 | 4.15 | -1.4% |
| 1957 | 4.17 | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 4.2 | +0.7% |
| 1959 | 4.22 | +0.3% |
| 1960 | 4.19 | -0.7% |
| 1961 | 4.24 | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 4.15 | -2.0% |
| 1963 | 4.17 | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 4.21 | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 4.22 | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 4.1 | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 4.92 | +20.0% |
| 1968 | 4.65 | -5.6% |
| 1969 | 4.5 | -3.1% |
| 1970 | 3.31 | -26.5% |
| 1971 | 3.33 | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 3.54 | +6.3% |
| 1973 | 3.71 | +4.7% |
| 1974 | 3.86 | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 4.14 | +7.2% |
| 1976 | 2.94 | -29.0% |
| 1977 | 2.93 | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 3.05 | +4.0% |
| 1979 | 3.15 | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 3.28 | +4.3% |
| 1981 | 3.37 | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 3.45 | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 3.34 | -3.0% |
| 1984 | 3.32 | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 3.27 | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 3.02 | -7.7% |
| 1987 | 2.91 | -3.7% |
| 1988 | 2.9 | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 2.85 | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 2.75 | -3.5% |
| 1991 | 2.91 | +5.6% |
| 1992 | 2.86 | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 3.13 | +9.1% |
| 1994 | 3.12 | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 3 | -3.8% |
| 1996 | 2.82 | -6.1% |
| 1997 | 2.54 | -10.0% |
| 1998 | 2.06 | -18.6% |
| 1999 | 1.85 | -10.2% |
| 2000 | 1.78 | -3.9% |
| 2001 | 1.36 | -23.6% |
| 2002 | 1.04 | -23.8% |
| 2003 | 0.8902 | -14.3% |
| 2004 | 0.7284 | -18.2% |
| 2005 | 1.08 | +48.8% |
| 2006 | 1.09 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 1.09 | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 0.9008 | -17.1% |
| 2009 | 0.9825 | +9.1% |
| 2010 | 0.9151 | -6.9% |
| 2011 | 0.7525 | -17.8% |
| 2012 | 0.6731 | -10.6% |
| 2013 | 0.712 | +5.8% |
| 2014 | 0.7419 | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 0.6178 | -16.7% |
| 2016 | 0.4903 | -20.6% |
| 2017 | 0.4938 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 0.4992 | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 0.4718 | -5.5% |
| 2020 | 0.7251 | +53.7% |
| 2021 | 0.5774 | -20.4% |
| 2022 | 0.5966 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 0.5671 | -4.9% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 0.5671 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.48, 13% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 0.5671 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.44, 13% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +53.7% | 0.4718 | 0.7251 |
| 2005 | +48.8% | 0.7284 | 1.08 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.07 | 3.91 | 4.22 | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.33 | 4.1 | 4.92 | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.4 | 2.93 | 4.14 | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.17 | 2.85 | 3.45 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7 | 1.85 | 3.13 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.09 | 0.7284 | 1.78 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6368 | 0.4718 | 0.9151 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6165 | 0.5671 | 0.7251 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More health data for Nigeria
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8137 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 257,921 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 14 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0711 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0729 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Nigeria?
- Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in Nigeria was 0.5671 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 4.92 in 1967.
- What is the lowest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4718 in 2019.
- How does Nigeria rank for difference in female and male life expectancy at birth?
- Nigeria ranks 235th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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