NAIRAMEYRICS
The 2024 State of the Nation Health Report indicates that life expectancy in Nigeria, though improving, remains below the global average at 54.6 years.
The report highlights that while the country’s average life expectancy now stands at 54.6 years, it is still 25.5% below the global figure of 73.3 years, highlighting ongoing health and socio-economic challenges.
The report, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, reveals that globally, life expectancy is 73.3 years for both genders, with women projected to live up to 76 years and men 70.7 years.
The State of the Nation Report highlighted that the slight difference in life expectancy between men and women aligns with global trends, where women generally live longer than men.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines life expectancy as “the average number of years that a newborn could expect to live if they were to pass through life exposed to the sex and age-specific death rates prevailing at the time of their birth, for a specific year, in a given country, territory, or geographical area.”
Citing the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2023/2024), the report highlighted that the fertility rate, at 4.8 children per woman, though gradually declining, remained among the highest in the world.
It noted that the rate was higher in rural areas (5.6) compared to urban areas (3.9), reflecting disparities in access to education and healthcare.
“Communicable diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis contribute significantly to the disease burden, negatively impacting overall health outcomes and life expectancy,” the report stated…
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