10 Countries with the Lowest Life Expectancy in the World

Light House Denver – Life expectancy is the estimated average number of years that a person is generally expected to live from birth. This figure is calculated based on health conditions, mortality rates, and socio-economic factors within a specific period. It is a key indicator often used to assess a country’s overall well-being and quality of public health.

Nigeria at the Bottom

Nigeria records the lowest average life expectancy in the world at 54.6 years. This means that the average Nigerian is expected to live only until that age. Despite being one of Africa’s largest economies, the country faces significant challenges, including high rates of infectious diseases, widespread poverty, poor nutrition, and limited healthcare infrastructure.

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Chad, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic

Chad ranks second with an average life expectancy of 55.2 years, followed by South Sudan and the Central African Republic, both at 57.7 years. These countries continue to struggle with the long-term impacts of political conflict, security instability, and limited access to essential healthcare services.

Full List of the 10 Countries with the Lowest Life Expectancy (2025)

According to 2025 data, the countries with the lowest life expectancy are:

1. Nigeria: 54.6 years
2. Chad: 55.2 years
3. South Sudan: 57.7 years
4. Central African Republic: 57.7 years
5. Lesotho: 57.8 years
6. Somalia: 59.0 years
7. Mali: 60.7 years
8. Guinea: 60.9 years
9. Benin: 61.0 years
10. Burkina Faso: 61.3 years

Gender Differences in Life Expectancy

Interestingly, in almost all countries on this list, women tend to live longer than men, except in Guinea. Mozambique shows the largest gap, where women live on average 6.2 years longer than men. This reflects the influence of biological factors, social conditions, and differences in healthcare access between genders.

A Positive Trend in Africa

While life expectancy in several African countries remains low, the continent has shown notable improvement. Africa’s average life expectancy increased from 53.7 years in 2000 to 63.8 years in 2023. With economic growth potential, better education, and improved healthcare infrastructure, experts project the figure will reach 66 years by 2035 and over 68 years by 2050.

However, these numbers would still remain below the global average, underscoring the need for concrete action by governments and international organizations to accelerate improvements in the quality of life across the region.

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