Nigeria has slipped further in global happiness rankings, amid unrelenting economic pressures on households across Africa’s largest economy.
The latest World Happiness Report released Wednesday ranked Nigeria 106th out of more than 140 countries in 2026, down from 105th in 2025 and 102nd in 2024.
The latest position marks one of the country’s weakest showings in recent years, though still above its 118th place ranking in 2022.
The report, based on data from the Gallup World Poll, measures how people evaluate their lives on a scale from zero to 10. Rankings reflect three-year averages and consider factors such as GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.
Nigeria’s steady decline highlights a widening gap between macroeconomic reforms and lived realities for millions of citizens.
In recent years, Nigerians have faced surging inflation, volatile fuel prices, a weakening naira and low wages — eroding purchasing power and pushing more households into financial strain, especially as food costs keep rising.
Official data shows some easing in recent months, with inflation falling from above 30% to just over 15% after a methodology change, while the naira has stabilised on the back of higher interest rates attracting dollar inflows.
But for most households, the cost-of-living squeeze remains largely unchanged.
Beyond economic hardship, governance challenges continue to weigh on public sentiment. Perceptions of corruption, weak public services and limited social safety nets have compounded frustration, especially as reforms such as fuel subsidy removal have raised living costs without immediate relief.
Nigeria’s long-term trend reflects volatility rather than sustained progress. The country ranked as high as 85th in 2019 but has since slipped back, mirroring periods of economic downturn and policy shocks.
While the report does not single out Nigeria, it notes that countries experiencing instability or prolonged economic stress tend to record weaker life evaluations over time.
A newcomer and social media problem
Globally, the rankings remain dominated by Northern Europe. Finland retained its position as the world’s happiest country for the ninth consecutive year, followed by Denmark, Iceland and Sweden. Outside Europe, Costa Rica broke into the top five for the first time.
The report also highlights shifting patterns across regions and generations. While many countries have recorded improvements in wellbeing over the past two decades, declines are concentrated in economies facing conflict or structural economic challenges.
In most parts of the world, young people report higher life evaluations today than in the past, though several high-income countries show the opposite pattern.
Heavy use of social media is increasingly linked to declining wellbeing among young people, with the impact most pronounced among teenage girls in English-speaking and Western European countries, the report said.
The findings come as governments weigh tighter restrictions on social media access for minors.
Researchers found that prolonged use — particularly beyond seven hours a day — is associated with lower life satisfaction, pointing to algorithm-driven, image-heavy platforms and influencer content as key drivers.
In the United States, the report said many college students express ambivalence about social media.
“They use them because others are using them, but they would prefer it if no one did,” it noted.
At the same time, moderate use appears to have a different effect: users who spend less than an hour daily on social media tend to report higher wellbeing than those who do not use it at all.
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