Nigeria ranked 105th out of 147 nations in the 2025 World Happiness Report, which was released on Thursday to mark the International Day of Happiness.
The latest ranking reflects a decline from Nigeria’s 2024 position at 102. However, the country remains the 10th happiest nation in Africa.
Libya Tops Africa’s Happiness Index Libya emerged as the highest-ranked African country, securing the 79th spot. The country has surpassed its regional counterparts in life satisfaction and societal well-being, despite ongoing challenges.
Globally, Finland maintained its status as the world’s happiest country for the eighth consecutive year, followed closely by Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. Other top-ranking nations include the Netherlands (5th), Israel (8th), and Luxembourg (9th), completing the top 10 list.
Happiness Decline in Major Nations The United States, which exited the top 20 in 2024, now ranks 24th. The country had previously reached its highest ranking at 11th place in 2012. Similarly, the United Kingdom dropped to 23rd, recording its lowest average life satisfaction since 2017. Canada, despite a downward trend over the past decade, remains in the top 20 at 18th place.
The World’s Least Happy Countries Once again, Afghanistan holds the lowest ranking at 147th, reflecting its ongoing humanitarian crisis since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Sierra Leone (146th), Lebanon (145th), Malawi (144th), and Zimbabwe (143rd) round out the bottom five in the global happiness index.
Understanding the World Happiness Report The International Day of Happiness, observed annually on March 20 since 2013, coincides with the release of the World Happiness Report. This report is produced by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, in collaboration with Gallup and the Oxford Center for Well-Being Research.
The rankings are based on six key factors that influence life satisfaction: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
This year’s edition focuses on “the impact of caring and sharing on people’s happiness,” highlighting how happiness varies across populations and the significant disparities within and between nations.