By Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja
There is a Nigerian folk song entitled: “Things Are Getting Better”. It has been popularised by Regina Lucas and Son Music in the years 2014 and 2024 respectively.
I have adapted it as the sub-title of this write-up. However, in this context, it is framed as a question.
The reader is invited to judge for themselves whether things are getting better in Nigeria under Tinubu by using the criterion of life expectancy!!!
According to Igwe Patrick in an article published in the Vanguard newspaper, Nigeria ranks second on the list of African countries with the lowest life expectancy.
“Life expectancy is the average lifespan of a population and can often be attributed to factors such as high infant and maternal mortality rates, prevalence of infectious diseases, limited access to quality healthcare, malnutrition, socio-economic challenges and unsafe living conditions.”
Below is a record of the decreasing life expectancy of Nigerians since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) assumed power in the year 2023.
In 2023, the life expectancy at birth in Nigeria was approximately 61.79 years, with males having a life expectancy of 60 years and females 64 years.
“In 2024, the life expectancy in Nigeria is 54.6 years, which is below the global average of 73.7 years. Nigeria’s life expectancy remains significantly lower than the global average. The 2024 State of the Nation Health Report indicated this.”
In the year 2025, life expectancy in Nigeria had decreased to
“53.63 years
Nigerian life expectancy stands second on the list of shortest life expectancy in Africa with several communicable diseases and health issues. The leading cause of death in Nigeria is malaria followed by ischemic heart disease and stroke.”
The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.
