Nigeria vs South Sudan: Life expectancy at birth, total
Nigeria
54.46 years
in 2023
South Sudan
57.62 years
in 2023
Nigeria rank
215th
South Sudan rank
211th
Life expectancy at birth, total over time
- Nigeria
- South Sudan
How they compare
South Sudan currently reports 57.62 years against 54.46 years in Nigeria, a difference of 3.16 years.
That makes South Sudan's figure about 1.1 times Nigeria's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 54 shared years of data; in 1970 it was Nigeria ahead.
Nigeria ranks 215th and South Sudan ranks 211th of 215 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Nigeria averaged higher in 4 and South Sudan in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Nigeria | South Sudan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 42.94 years | 34.75 years | 8.18 years | Nigeria |
| 1980s | 46.12 years | 30.66 years | 15.45 years | Nigeria |
| 1990s | 45.88 years | 30.72 years | 15.16 years | Nigeria |
| 2000s | 49.21 years | 52.81 years | 3.6 years | South Sudan |
| 2010s | 52.05 years | 49.92 years | 2.13 years | Nigeria |
| 2020s | 53.77 years | 57.38 years | 3.61 years | South Sudan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life expectancy at birth, total, Nigeria or South Sudan?
- South Sudan, at 57.62 years against 54.46 years in Nigeria as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life expectancy at birth, total between Nigeria and South Sudan?
- 3.16 years, with South Sudan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and South Sudan?
- 54 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2023.
- How do Nigeria and South Sudan rank globally for life expectancy at birth, total?
- Nigeria ranks 215th and South Sudan ranks 211th of 215 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release