The Giant of Africa, Nigeria, ironically, tops the list of countries of the world with the most people living with the lowest quality of life. The statistics were compiled by Numbeo for mid-year 2025.
Nigeria came last in the list of 89 countries, ranking lower than Venezuela, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka
The Quality of Life index was computed taking into account key factors such as the purchasing power of the people, safety, health care, general cost of living, ease of buying and owning properties, traffic congestion, pollution, as well as the climate index.
Nigeria lies at the bottom with an abysmal figure of 15.6, although Venezuela, which comes right before it, has a 73.7 Quality of Living index.
At the top of the list are Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Denmark, which stand at 218.2, 216.5, and 215.1, respectively.
Despite celebrating its 65th year of independence since October 1, 1960, Nigeria is still suffering from endemic corruption and widespread organized crime at almost every level of society.
The systematic corruption has hindered core economic growth and development. With a population of around 232.7 million people as of 2025, the country still suffers very unreliable power supply that has resulted in many areas that rely on the grid going without electricity for days.
Currently, the country generates between 3,440 to 4735 megawatts of electricity. In 2024, the national grid fell to 0 MW 12 times.
The failure of the power sector is the key driver of the higher cost of living in the economy because people are forced to buy non-subsidized fuel to run their businesses, homes, as well as drive the transport industry.
The effects of the countrywide corruption can also be found in the poor healthcare system, which has forced many of their doctors to “japa” abroad. According to UNICEF, Nigeria is the 4th worst place to give birth on Earth because of its very high maternal mortality rate of 576 per 100,000 live births, or 75,000 women dying in childbirth in a year, according to the BBC.
Security of lives and properties is also not left out in the mayhem that seemed to have escalated since the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed by terrorists such as Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen, and millions of other displaced from their homes.
Intel Point ranked Nigeria as a very unsafe place to live in, in 122th out of 125 countries in a 2023 World Internal Security and Police Index.
In July 2025, the US Department of State issued a cautionary warning against traveling to the country because of its heightened crime and spate of kidnappings. Furthermore, there is little to no confidence in the political officers and the process that controls the judicial system, owing to corruption and ethnic tribalism.
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