At just 54.6 years, Nigeria’s life expectancy is among the lowest in the world, a grim reflection of a broken healthcare system, widespread poverty, and an economy that continues to push millions to the edge of survival.
This crisis is not the result of war or natural disaster but of leadership failures that have neglected the very essence of governance—protecting and improving the lives of citizens. Preventable diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis remain major killers, while malnutrition silently claims the lives of countless children.
The situation is even worse in rural areas, where hospitals are either nonexistent or in shambles. Many primary healthcare centres have no doctors, no drugs, and no equipment.
When meningitis recently broke out in Kebbi State, authorities had to transport samples all the way to Abuja just to confirm the cause of death. This is the tragic reality in a country that boasts of being Africa’s largest economy.
Despite not being at war, Nigeria ranks lower in life expectancy than countries with histories of prolonged conflict, such as South Sudan and Somalia. The World Poverty Clock reported in 2024 that 70.8 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty.
As inflation soars, more families can no longer afford nutritious food or basic healthcare. The National Health Insurance Scheme exists, yet millions remain excluded due to accessibility issues.
Meanwhile, the cost of medicine is left to the whims of market forces, allowing exploitation to thrive while ordinary citizens suffer. A nation’s future is shaped by the well-being of its people.
Yet in Nigeria, the alarming maternal and infant mortality rates continue to erode the country’s development prospects. Pregnant women face life-threatening risks due to a lack of skilled birth attendants, inadequate antenatal care, and poor emergency response services.
Many die from preventable complications, leaving behind children who are thrust into a cycle of poverty and deprivation. The inability to ensure safe childbirth in the 21st century is an indictment of the government’s failure to prioritize healthcare.
Beyond healthcare, environmental factors further threaten life expectancy. Poor sanitation, contaminated water sources, and exposure to pollution contribute to the spread of deadly diseases.
Urban slums and overcrowded settlements breed infections, yet government policies remain largely ineffective in addressing these hazards. Without proper investment in clean water, sanitation, and waste management, millions will continue to fall victim to avoidable illnesses, further dragging down life expectancy rates.
This is not a crisis of fate but one of misplaced priorities. The government often flaunts economic growth statistics, but these numbers mean little when hospitals remain death traps and food insecurity continues to weaken an already vulnerable population.
A country that cannot guarantee the health and well-being of its people is a country setting itself up for collapse. There is still a chance to turn the tide. The government must immediately invest in primary healthcare, expand health insurance coverage, regulate food and medicine prices, and ensure that no Nigerian is denied medical care due to poverty.
The time for empty promises is over. Lives are on the line, and the consequences of inaction will be measured not in statistics but in the suffering and premature deaths of millions.
Firdausi Abubakar is an intern with PR Nigeria