Difference in male and female life expectancy in Nigeria
Nigeria: Difference in male and female life expectancy was 0.5365 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0.5365
Change on year
down 6.1%
World rank
235th
of 236 countries
All-time high
4.66
in 1967
All-time low
0.3862
in 2004
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Nigeria, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for difference in male and female life expectancy in Nigeria is 0.5365, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 6.1% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in male and female life expectancy in Nigeria peaked at 4.66 in 1967 and was at its lowest, 0.3862, in 2004.
Nigeria ranks 235th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.48 | — |
| 1951 | 2.51 | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 2.44 | -2.8% |
| 1953 | 2.53 | +4.0% |
| 1954 | 2.53 | -0.1% |
| 1955 | 2.74 | +8.3% |
| 1956 | 2.67 | -2.4% |
| 1957 | 2.73 | +2.3% |
| 1958 | 2.77 | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 2.79 | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 2.78 | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 2.83 | +1.9% |
| 1962 | 2.75 | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 2.78 | +0.9% |
| 1964 | 2.85 | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 2.86 | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 2.99 | +4.8% |
| 1967 | 4.66 | +55.7% |
| 1968 | 4.37 | -6.2% |
| 1969 | 4.31 | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 2.65 | -38.5% |
| 1971 | 2.53 | -4.5% |
| 1972 | 2.64 | +4.4% |
| 1973 | 2.69 | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 2.74 | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 2.9 | +5.9% |
| 1976 | 2.36 | -18.8% |
| 1977 | 2.35 | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 2.48 | +5.7% |
| 1979 | 2.58 | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 2.74 | +6.4% |
| 1981 | 2.78 | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 2.86 | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 2.77 | -3.2% |
| 1984 | 2.76 | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 2.69 | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 2.45 | -9.0% |
| 1987 | 2.34 | -4.6% |
| 1988 | 2.32 | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 2.29 | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 2.22 | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 2.36 | +6.7% |
| 1992 | 2.38 | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 2.66 | +11.7% |
| 1994 | 2.69 | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 2.53 | -5.7% |
| 1996 | 2.37 | -6.6% |
| 1997 | 2.08 | -12.1% |
| 1998 | 1.61 | -22.4% |
| 1999 | 1.42 | -11.8% |
| 2000 | 1.36 | -4.2% |
| 2001 | 0.941 | -30.9% |
| 2002 | 0.6333 | -32.7% |
| 2003 | 0.5075 | -19.9% |
| 2004 | 0.3862 | -23.9% |
| 2005 | 0.7339 | +90.0% |
| 2006 | 0.7585 | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 0.7766 | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 0.6266 | -19.3% |
| 2009 | 0.7357 | +17.4% |
| 2010 | 0.6958 | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 0.5711 | -17.9% |
| 2012 | 0.5223 | -8.5% |
| 2013 | 0.5884 | +12.7% |
| 2014 | 0.6556 | +11.4% |
| 2015 | 0.5553 | -15.3% |
| 2016 | 0.439 | -20.9% |
| 2017 | 0.4552 | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 0.474 | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 0.4517 | -4.7% |
| 2020 | 0.7317 | +62.0% |
| 2021 | 0.5569 | -23.9% |
| 2022 | 0.5713 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 0.5365 | -6.1% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 0.5365 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.19, 13% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 0.5365 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.08, 13% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in male and female life expectancy 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +90.0% | 0.3862 | 0.7339 |
| 2020 | +62.0% | 0.4517 | 0.7317 |
| 1967 | +55.7% | 2.99 | 4.66 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.62 | 2.44 | 2.79 | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.32 | 2.75 | 4.66 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.59 | 2.35 | 2.9 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.6 | 2.29 | 2.86 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.23 | 1.42 | 2.69 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7462 | 0.3862 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5408 | 0.439 | 0.6958 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5991 | 0.5365 | 0.7317 | 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 male and female life expectancy in Nigeria?
- Difference in male and female life expectancy in Nigeria was 0.5365 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 4.66 in 1967.
- What is the lowest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3862 in 2004.
- How does Nigeria rank for difference in male and female life expectancy?
- Nigeria ranks 235th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in male and female life expectancy rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. 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 male and female life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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